Valverde: "We've rediscovered ourselves"

Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde said Saturday night's 0-2 win over CA Osasuna at El Sadar was much more in tune with what he believes the side are capable of.

Los Leones bounced back from their opening day defeat to Real Madrid with a hard-fought win against Osasuna in Pamplona. Iñaki Williams and Gorka Guruzeta scored Athletic's goals on the night.

"This was a crucial match for us," Valverde said in his post-match press conference.

"Nobody wants to have no points on the board. I think we rediscovered ourselves. The team's effort is always the same. That's a guarantee, we always give our all. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you don't."

The gaffer was impressed with what he felt was a very complete performance, especially as the Zurigorri were forced to defend with a man down for the final half-hour after Oihan Sancet's sending-off.

Valverde added: "We knew we were going to have a tough game here, like last year. In the beginning, we got into their area a lot and we conceded few chances. That was key.

"The second half changed very quickly after the dismissal. We had to drop deep because we couldn't work the press in the same way. But we were able to hold our own."