Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde admitted Thursday night’s 2-0 loss against CA Osasuna is a setback for the Lions’ European hopes.
The defeat in Pamplona sees Osasuna move into seventh ahead of Los Leones.
“It was a crucial game. It was up to us and now it's Osasuna who are in seventh place and have the advantage,” Valverde said post-match. “It's a tough defeat and we've taken a step backwards.”
With two games to go in LaLiga, there is little margin for error and Athletic must now win their remaining fixtures.
He said: “When you have a chance like this and you lose, of course it's disappointing. It's not going to be easy for anyone to get the six points that are left. We're going to focus on us, and on the fact that we have to win the next game.”
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