Valverde: “We deserved a win like this.”

Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde admitted Friday night's 1-3 win over Real Valladolid was a long time coming for the Lions, who have put in some decent performances but not got their just rewards in recent weeks,

Los Rojiblancos broke their five-match losing streak with a professional performances at the Jose Zorrilla which included goals from Iñigo Martínez, Gorka Guruzeta and Mikel Vesga.

"There are matches which are different simply because of the situation you are in. Breaking a negative streak requires more effort and we did very well in how we approached the game," Valverde said post-match

"We deserved a win like this. It was essential for us to win the match so that we can challenge for the top positions. We have important games coming up for the standings and for our fans, and we'll do everything we can to win."

Ernesto Valverde was impressed with his players' attitude and performance in Valladolid, saying they got better as the match went on.

He added: “We hope this will give us a boost because we're now entering the decisive phase [of the season]. It's a very important and very convincing victory."