Marcelino: “We’re playing at San Mamés and we’re ready for anything”

Athletic Club will not be lacking in spirit or attitude when Real Madrid come to town, according to head coach Marcelino García Toral.

The Lions got back to winning ways with a 3-2 victory over Real Betis on Sunday, and now they want to finish the season on a high by beating the LaLiga Santander leaders.

“The team had shown they could win in the previous matches, but to prove it with a victory is a very important boost to our morale,” Marcelino said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s visit to Bilbao on Wednesday night (21:30 CET).

“But tomorrow will be a different game and we’ll need to fight until the last minute. We have to play an almost perfect game, as we did at the Bernabéu, but be more clinical in front of goal. Real Madrid have a great team and to beat them it’s important we don’t concede.

“It’s an attractive and exciting match, with San Mamés possibly full, and we’ll go for the win. They tell me that it’s a special fixture. The players have told me it’s something you need to experience.

“I hope we finish the show with a victory. If we have a good day, and they don’t, and we’re clinical, we can win. We’re playing at San Mamés and we’re ready for anything.”

Both sides will be missing several players due to positive COVID-19 cases, with Marcelino urging people to look after themselves and stay safe.

He said: “This is the situation we have to live with. We have to take great care of ourselves, and even then there’s still a chance you can catch it. Just when it seemed we were over it, the pandemic has struck us again. We have to be careful.”