Valverde: “Reaching the quarter-finals is a huge prize”
Valverde: “Reaching the quarter-finals is a huge prize”
The gaffer is expecting a "tense" duel with Athletic taking on Osasuna for a place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals
Ernesto Valverde urged his players to fix their eyes on the "prize" of a Copa quarter-final as they prepare for Wednesday night's showdown with CA Osasuna at San Mames (19:30 CET).
Osasuna have defeated Chiclana, AD Ceuta and UD Tenerife to reach this stage of the competition, while Los Leones, who received a bye to the round of 32 due to being reigning champions, beat UD Logroñés on penalties after a difficult match at Las Gaunas.
The gaffer warned of the dangers posed by the round-of 16 fixture in Bilbao being a one-off match in which "both teams will have to go for it".
"It's something to bear in mind," he followed. "It's going to be a tense match due to its significance and the fact its definitive. Reaching the quarter-finals is a huge prize."
Valverde said his Lions are prepared for a challenging clash with Los Rojillos, an opponent which "normally does well at San Mames".
He continued: "They given us tough matches and made things difficult for us. They never lose their nerve and make you defend deep. They push you back and that makes them dangerous. It's something they've always done and they've maintained it under Vicente Moreno.
"We'll try to make sure our fans connect with the our team and see themselves reflected in what we do so we can bring them some joy."