Dani Vivian: "We can achieve anything we set our minds to"
Dani Vivian: "We can achieve anything we set our minds to"
The defender held a press conference at Lezama ahead of Athletic's LaLiga fixture against FC Barcelona on Saturday evening
Athletic Club defender Dani Vivian promised the Lions will be "ambitious" once again this season as they get ready to face FC Barcelona on Saturday evening at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (19:00 CEST), our first test on the road in 2024/25.
Vivian had an extended summer break due to his Euro 2024 exploits, returning to action with a 10-minute cameo against Getafe CF in our LaLiga opener at San Mames.
"I can't wait to get started. Every year, the level in LaLiga gets higher and higher," Vivian told the press at Lezama on Wednesday morning.
"You can see how all the teams are strengthening. That motivates us. We need the desire and the conviction to know we'll do well. From there, we can achieve anything we set our mind too.
"We'll be ambitious and look to make our game plan solid. From there we'll get the best out of ourselves and see what we can accomplish."
Vivian is aware it will be a tough clash at the Olímpic Lluís Companys, but he feels Athletic are well prepared for the clash.
He said: "We've had a long week to prepare for it and we're concentrating on what we have to do. We know how difficult the match is going to be.
"We feel good and we're not far from being at 100%. That's something you get from training and playing."
Dani recently signed a contract extension until 2032 and he admitted he is "very excited" about the future at Athletic.
"I've always felt loved and supported by the club and I have everything to get the best out of myself," he said.
"The people who work here have the same values as me. We have a project and an idea for the future that I'm very excited about.
"Not every team can offer a player this kind of contract. It's a sign of respect and responsibility."
In addition to winning the Copa with Athletic, Vivian was also part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2024, and the centre-back wants more glory.
He added: "It's been an incredible year. At the beginning of the season you can't even imagine that everything will go so well. There were hardly been any low moments.
"There were very good experiences that strengthened me both on and off the pitch. When you win, you want to keep winning and competing at the level you were at and improve upon it."