Marcelino: “The idea is always to win”

Athletic Club manager Marcelino García Toral reiterated what he expects from his squad as the 2020-21 campaign comes to an end, insisting that his players must always look to win no matter what point of the season they are in.

The Lions have four fixtures left, including this Saturday’s clash with CA Osasuna at San Mamés (21:00 CEST) – the first of two matches left to be played in Bilbao this season.

“The idea is always to win,” Marcelino García Toral said at his pre-match press conference. “We have to start every game wanting to win, whoever our opponents are.

“Our goals include being more consistent, having a high competitive level and winning as many points as possible. Getting a second consecutive win is another objective.

“If we win tomorrow, it would mean 10 points out of a possible 12, having already played Atlético Madrid and Sevilla in between.

“Those are good numbers and will help our confidence. It’s a nice target, even more so because the team is capable of achieving it.”

Seventh-placed Real Betis are six points away from Athletic with four matches remaining. The Lions have a slim chance of qualifying and beating a tricky Osasuna side is vital for keeping their European hopes alive.

“It will be difficult because Osasuna are a good team,” Marcelino added. “They get forward often, get a lot of people in the opposition’s box and press with a lot of intensity.

“They are going to push us hard. If we’re not intense, we’ll be running back towards our own goal a lot. We have to impose ourselves on the match.”

Marcelino was also keen to praise his players’ current mental state, saying: “The team has lost very little since we’ve been here.

“We have to improve and that’s what we’re working on and that’s what we’re aiming for.

“Every victory brings joy, victories help us to believe in our own style, in the players and in each other. The players are very satisfied after having managed to win games in a difficult situation.

“Right now, they’re at a good level and they’re improving in the right way. We have to try and carry that improvement into every game.”

Saturday’s clash with CA Osasuna kicks off at 21:00 local time, here is a guide on how to watch the match from wherever you are in the world.