Marcelino: “We most focus all our attention on LaLiga”

Athletic Club manager Marcelino García Toral insisted the Lions must prioritise getting positive results in LaLiga Santander.

The Rojiblancos currently sit in ninth place in the table, just four points off Villarreal in seventh. A win against fellow European hopefuls RC Celta on Sunday afternoon (14:00 CET) would be a big boost to Athletic’s own aspirations.

“We’re coming off the back of a loss against Atlético Madrid,” Marcelino said at his pre-match press conference. “We want to change the situation and get a win on Sunday.

“It’s time to talk about LaLiga. The Copa del Rey is a long way off and we’re creating a mentality in which that is the only thing we think about, when what we really need to be concerned about, and what we need to focus all our attention on, is the fixture in front of us.

“We have to pick up points and win matches.”

Despite giving away very few goalscoring opportunities, Athletic have only kept one clean sheet since Marcelino took over.

The Gaffer admitted it’s something he is desperate to improve and said the squad have been working hard on the defensive side of their game in training.

He said: “It’s obvious that we have some mistakes that need to be ironed out and improved.

“If we’re strong from a defensive point of view, if we’re more focused and solid, it’s possible our opponents won’t have as much luck.

“The goal is to continue working as a group so that our opponents continue to create as little as they have done in recent games.”

RC Celta are currently tenth-placed in LaLiga Santander and are equal on points with Athletic. Marcelino warned it will be a tough match against a side with “a lot of quality”.

The boss also said he will be swapping around the starting XI  due to concerns about the Lions’ recent hectic schedule.

“We’ve had a lot of matches,” he added. “We’ll make changes because we have to be cautious in many cases.

“We’ll train before the game and then we’ll make decisions. We want to avoid risks, but at the same time we’ll put out the best eleven to beat Celta.”