Redaccion
Ernesto Valverde is aware of the potential of the Sevilla team at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán and warns that the lions must remain «decisive and precise».
After the great night of the Europa League round of 16 return at La Catedral, Ernesto Valverde spoke to the media in the press room at Lezama with a focus on a new LaLiga match. The rojiblancos will visit the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, a team and stadium that is always challenging.
The Athletic Club coach acknowledged that, despite the wear and tear of the match last Thursday against AS Roma, the team faces the Sevilla match with a morale boost, prior to the final mandatory break for national teams: «Winning certainly gives you confidence and a new boost. We are in a good place and happy, but Sevilla has been waiting for us all week to play this match. In LaLiga, we are in a good position, but the teams behind us are putting pressure on us and when you have an advantage, we need to be decisive and precise. After this match, there will be ten left to play and everything starts to matter a lot.»
The lions will visit the stadium of a team that has been in great form in recent weeks and is approaching the positions that lead to European competition. Valverde is clear about it: «I see a Sevilla team that is improving in the competition. They have gone from lower positions to gradually moving up to the fight for European spots. They are strong from a competitive standpoint and it has always been tough for us to play there. It’s a difficult field with a demanding fan base. They have a very combative front line. These players demand a lot from their opponents in one-on-one situations, so we have to be very decisive.»
