Valverde: “It's a special tie, but a complicated match”
Valverde: “It's a special tie, but a complicated match”
The gaffer previewed Sunday's Copa del Rey round-of-32 clash with SD Eibar
Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde warned the Lions will have to manage their emotions and of those of their opponents, SD Eibar, in Sunday's Copa derby at Ipurua.
After defeating Sevilla in their LaLiga fixture at the Sánchez-Pizjuán midweek, Athletic now face local rivals Eibar in the Copa round of 32.
"It's a single-legged tie and one of the two teams will go out," Valverde said at his pre-match press conference in Lezama.
"They're a team with considerable potential and have the emotional impact of playing at Ipurua. It's a special tie, but a very complicated match for us."
The gaffer reiterated that it would be unwise to underestimate Los Armeros simply because they compete in a lower division, pointing to the style of play Joseba Etxeberria has implemented at Ipurua.
Ernesto said: "We don't consider ourselves favourites. It's an open tie in which the lower-ranked team plays at home and that evens the playing field.
"Eibar could very well be in the Primera Division, it's a derby and we know what awaits us at Ipurua. We want to stay in the Copa and that means winning.
"They know what they want to do and they do it well. They started the season with bad results, but by persevering with their style they've improved.
"Now they are on a slightly worse run, but they are still playing well. They are powerful through the middle, they play out from the back and they take their chances."