“We haven’t started the year the way we wanted, but it doesn’t end here”

Ernesto Valverde was disappointed to be eliminated from the Cup at the hands of Osasuna. The red and white coach put special emphasis on his team’s lack of success in converting chances, something that Osasuna has done. “When you lose you are always disappointed. Everything depends on the result, we didn’t achieve it, it’s the same as the last games with Osasuna, we came but they had more success than us. We left the Cup At the beginning it was difficult for us to get there, they were waiting, trying to catch some counters, they scored a goal and the misfortune of the second came. We scored 1-2 and in the second half we achieved the tie. Then we generated a draw but we couldn’t do it,” said the red and white coach at the end of the match.

“We didn’t play alone, Osasuna tried to stop the pace of the game, everyone played their tricks. The first time they approached us they scored a goal, we had a few that we couldn’t fulfill . In the second half, we were ahead and we scored but it was a question of success and we didn’t succeed,” he added.

The Cup is not the same as the League. One mistake leaves you: “Risk it in a game, we know it’s not a question of winning the points, it’s a question of winning the field and getting it right. Build a cluster of situations where, with victory, the game can fall on your side. Last year there were times when the opponent failed and we continued. That’s the playoffs, decisive moments.”

The player from Gasteiz acknowledged that Osasuna’s third goal hurt them a lot. “They have a very high rate of effectiveness, if we had it the result would be different,” he acknowledged.

Now it’s time to change the chip. Athletic did not start the year well, with two defeats against Barça and Osasuna and a draw against UD Logroñés which was solved from the penalty spot. “That’s all, we already know what a football movie is. If you lose you have to get up. We have to put ourselves in the situation that you lose and we have to take a step forward in the competitions that we have left. No one wants to be eliminated, it hurts us right now and it’s all about how you deal with hardships. Now we have to defend fourth place in the League and play in the Europa League on Wednesday. We didn’t start the year the way we wanted to but it doesn’t end here.”

Txingurri again emphasized the lack of effectiveness: “You have to admit, this is the law of football, it’s not a question of trying to win, but if the gods are on your side. Sometimes it happens the other way around. It’s necessary “I always want to win,” he said. However, he indicated that he found his team “pretty good.”