Valverde warned that Real Valladolid has “need and arguments” and that this will force them to be “well activated” to “compete again” just 72 hours after their European match on Thursday in Bulgaria. “It is a team that tries to play, that has a good display and quality players. We must be attentive and concentrate well on the game to compete again. That is the most difficult part of playing during the week,” emphasized the rojiblanco coach during the press conference prior to the meeting.
Txingurri stressed that it is “complicated” to play with the “psychological burden of always needing to win” and this will force him to make changes to the starting eleven, which he did not reveal, and to “bring fresh players” to try to “maintain the level.” The coach will wait until the last training session to see if he will be able to count on Jauregizar and Guruzeta, who missed the game against Ludogorets due to lower back problems, as well as Sancet. In the case of the latter, he expressed less optimism despite the international having a place on the bench against the Bulgarians.
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“I see the team in good physical shape. I make the rotations thinking more about what I see than whether we will be better or worse later. Many times, keeping the team alive and overcoming challenges is the fuel that keeps you optimistic and more active. It’s about to generate good feelings and have good perspectives,” he reflected. Valverde, on the other hand, made a positive assessment of Athletic’s first segment of the season, as they are currently “good” in both La Liga and the Europa League, occupying sixth place in both respective classifications.
“The main objective is La Liga, but we also have the dream of Europe. We took a lot of people away from home and we have to respond. For now, we are doing well, although we want to be better in the league because after Europe, we lost points in the injury time that they penalized us,” he lamented.
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Finally, the Bilbao coach expressed his joy at Paredes’ call-up to the National Team, considering it “a prize” for Athletic as well, and believes that the Biscayan center back “has to take advantage of it.” “Being more active in the National Team is good for him; those experiences are not tiring,” added Valverde when asked about the impact that the player’s time with Luis de la Fuente’s national team could have on his return to Athletic.
