Valverde Channels Villarreal's 42-Point Champagne Mentality After Athletic's Third Straight Win
Ernesto Valverde reflects on Athletic Club's third consecutive La Liga victory after beating Elche, with an eye on the table and a long injury list.
Athletic Club kept their momentum going with a hard-fought win over Elche — their third consecutive La Liga victory for only the second time this season. Ernesto Valverde was in a reflective mood afterwards, talking injuries, mentality, and — brilliantly — taking inspiration from Villarreal’s approach to the title race.
A Win That Didn’t Come Easy
This wasn’t a stroll in the park. Valverde admitted Elche controlled large chunks of the first half through their distinctive playing style, with Athletic only really threatening when their press was clicking properly. The second half got scrappy — Athletic were running on fumes — but they dug in when it mattered.
- First half: Elche set the tempo, Athletic created chances on the counter-press
- Second half: more closed off, Athletic visibly fatigued
- Late surge: Guruzeta, who Valverde was about to substitute, scored the decisive goal — the manager kept him on, noting that “a goal always has something revitalising about it”
The Injury Situation Is Properly Grim
Valverde didn’t want to moan, but the facts speak for themselves. The squad is being held together with sellotape right now:
- Yeray — out for roughly 10 months
- Prados — fourth-choice centre-back, also unavailable
- Maroan, Nico, Berenguer — all currently sidelined
He acknowledged that Champions League commitments earlier in the season pulled focus away from the league, and the squad has been stretched thin as a result. “It hasn’t finished yet,” he warned — meaning there’s more turbulence to come before things settle.
The Villarreal Benchmark
Here’s the bit that’ll get people talking. When asked about Athletic’s league position and ambitions, Valverde didn’t look up at the top of the table — he looked sideways at Villarreal, who are sitting third and apparently cracking open the Champagne when they hit 42 points. He’s taken that as a model: stay grounded, celebrate the small wins, keep accumulating. It’s a clever bit of expectation management from a manager who knows exactly what he’s doing.
Athletic are ambitious, he said, but they can’t drop their guard in a league that hasn’t been kind to them this season.
Mental Strength — Non-Negotiable
Valverde flagged the Oviedo game (in the Copa del Rey) as a warning sign — the mental resilience that defines this Athletic side went missing in the first half that night, and he made clear that’s simply not acceptable. It’s something the squad addresses every week in training. Their opponents know it’s a weapon; Athletic have to keep it sharp.
Penalty Controversy? Nah, Not Really
There were a couple of penalty decisions that raised eyebrows. Valverde was spotted chatting to referee Sarabia at full time — but he was quick to play it down. Both men had different perspectives on the calls, had a natter about it, nothing more. No drama, as he put it.
All in all, a scrappy but important three points for the Basques. The injury list is a worry, but the character in this squad keeps pulling them through.