Valverde: "This match isn't a challenge, it's an opportunity"

Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde called for positivity ahead of Los Leones' clash with FC Barcelona at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Sunday night (21:00 CEST), insisting his players have a chance to come home with a positive result.

The Zurigorri have not defeated the Blaugrana in Barcelona in LaLiga since the 2001/02 campaign, but Valverde believes the Lions always have a shot at winning against any team on their day.

"It's a complicated place for Athletic, FC Barcelona have been very strong at home in recent years," Valverde said in his pre-match press conference on Saturday morning.

"The way they play, the way they push you back and keep possession, they're a very strong team. Tomorrow's game is not a challenge, it's an opportunity to break a bad record and get three points on the road.

"We're a team that tries to control and dominate the game. Against teams like FC Barcelona we know that control might belong to our opponents and we will need to be patient."

The international break has given players with knocks time to recover and Ernesto acknowledged the extra time on the training pitch has been good for the squad.

He continued: "We're eager to compete. In any match, you always have a dose of uncertainty about what might happen or how the game might go.

"We know that this match is difficult, they're the current LaLiga champions and favourites to win this one too. We're going to a difficult ground."

The gaffer said the decision to extend Unai Gómez's contract with the Club is "fantastic news for the player and everybody".

"We believe he's a lad with a bright future," Ernesto added. "He is still getting used to the level, but he can play in several positions and we have high hopes for him."