Valverde: “We are not thinking about the Cup”

Athletic now has the possibility of returning to the European zone. Everything depends on defeating Girona at San Mamés to overtake Rayo in the table and reclaim sixth place. All this just three days before the dispute of the first leg of the Cup semifinal against Osasuna at El Sadar, Valverde has things very clear about it.

“Reserve something thinking about the Cup? That match comes in three days, we both have rest days with Osasuna and they play later today. We are also not in the League to neglect ourselves. I was thinking about the match against Girona, not Osasuna”, answered the rojiblanco coach.

The visit to Montilivi did not leave a good memory of the Athletic atmosphere. The lions lost 2-1 in a bad game. Valverde has not forgotten that disappointing confrontation.

“We have played before at the Camp Nou and they hit us, but against Barça is different. We played the Girona game very badly. To be honest, we didn’t go well and it’s something that I have etched in my memory because Barça can beat you well. Girona is also a good team, with a certain distance, but that is not only their merit, but our demerit. We want to face them and make it another game”.

The Girona team came from beating Almería in Montilivi. Míchel’s is a team that scores a lot of goals, but also concedes them. His numbers are beyond doubt: 33 goals in favor, 33 against.

An opponent to be reckoned with

Their numbers made them fat last week when they scored six goals, something unusual in this very even League. They have the facility to score because they have players who progress well, spread well, come in with a lot of attacking players and try to play; but at the same time it’s hard for him to keep a clean sheet. La Real made five against them, they evolved in that sense and started to play a bit more from the defense. Girona is a team that grows as the season goes on

Regarding Míchel Sánchez, the coach of the Girona team, Valverde believes that “he is already a high-level player, he always invents something. Now, as a coach, he wants his teams to dominate in through possession, without giving up playing fast forward. He maintains an ambitious message about Girona and the team responds to him”.

The Athletic coach also refers to another correct name around his rival today. “Oriol Romeu stabilized them a lot in the middle of the field, he gave them packaging. You always look forward to things from Girona because they will score goals and they will get there. Take risks on the ball and take risks well”.