Valverde: "We have to end this bad run in LaLiga"

Ernesto Valverde said Athletic Club "need a win above all else" to get back on track in LaLiga and stay in the fight for European qualification.

Los Leones face Cádiz CF, in the midst of a relegation battle, at San Mames on Friday night at 21:00 CET. Athletic beat the Andalusians 0-4 at the Nuevo Mirandilla back in August, but Valverde expects a tougher match this time around.

"For us it's a very important game, we need those three points," Valverde said at his pre-match press conference.

"It's a very different Cádiz to what we came up against in the first half of the season. They've been getting better results in the last few games.

"We're in a situation where we haven't won in LaLiga and we have to end that run of form. We hope tomorrow will be a turning point."

🗣️ 𝗘𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲

"We need these three points. We want this match against @Cadiz_CFEN to be a turning point for us in @LaLigaEN." #AthleticCádiz #AthleticClub 🦁

— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) February 2, 2023

Athletic are without a win in LaLiga since returning to competitive action after the World Cup break. Valverde reiterated the Lions' duty to "get fans on board" and put points on the table, starting with this fixture against a Cádiz side who were very busy in the winter transfer window.

He added: "Everything depends on results, but we have a much bigger duty: to win and to keep our fans motivated. Not doing so hurts us. We're starting the second half of the season and we have to get more points than in the first half."