Valverde: "We needed to be sharper in the final third"
Valverde: "We needed to be sharper in the final third"
This is what the gaffer had to say after Athletic's 1-1 draw with RCD Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium
Ernesto Valverde was pleased with how his players reacted to going a goal down but admitted that Athletic Club weren't clinical enough in the final third against RCD Espanyol.
The home side took the lead around the hour mark when Roberto Fernandez closed down a heavy touch from Unai Simon, but the Lions responded via an Oihan Sancet volley.
"Draws feel much better when you're the side that equalises," Valverde said after the match.
"We tried to find a winner after the equaliser. We felt as if we might have won if the game had gone on a bit longer.
"It was an even match at times. The first half was a bit sloppy in that there were no clear chances.
"They tried to surprise us with long balls into space. We dominated possession, but perhaps we lacked a little bit of sharpness and precision in the final third to be able to finish better."
The gaffer spoke about the racist behaviour towards Maroan Sannadi which saw Iñaki Williams ask the referee to activate the anti-racism protocol.
He said: "It's a situation that unfortunately happens in more places, we don't like it to happen at any stadium. It's a question of general manners and it's something that we have to work on."