Valverde: "We had to rely on our craft and spirit"

Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde praised the attitude and resolve shown by his Lions during their 2-3 win over UD Las Palmas on Sunday evening.

With Athletic 0-2 with 35 minutes to go, it all seemed plain sailing. But a Mikel Jauregizar red card gave the home side a way back into the match.

Even though Aitor Paredes made it 1-3 in the 75th minute, Las Palmas struck back again, forcing Los Leones to dig deep for the three points.

When you win, it always feels so much better," Valverde said post-match.

"We dominated the first half, hence the advantage on the scoreboard, but we knew that things could change in the second half.

"We had two players on yellow cards. I was thinking of making a change to try to mitigate that, but before we could, Jauregizar was sent off and that affected the game.

"We struggled because they are good in short spaces and the score was very tight. We had to rely on our craft and spirit but in the end we were able to get the three points."

With a busy two weeks ahead, this victory is an important step in the right direction according to the gaffer.

He said: "We've been ruminating on the last moment of the Atlético Madrid match for the last two weeks. Bearing in mind we have two more games this week, it was important for us to win so we can look forward rather than behind.