Valverde: "It's an extraordinary win"
Valverde: "It's an extraordinary win"
The gaffer was delighted with a triumph that strengthens the Lions' grip on a Champions League spot
Ernesto Valverde revelled in a massively important Athletic Club win on the road as the Lions defeated Sevilla FC 0-1 to consolidate their hold on fourth place in the LaLiga standings.
Athletic were made to work hard for their win, Yeray connecting with a Alex Berenguer set-piece in the 84th minute.
"It's an extraordinary victory because of the position and the situation we're in. We hadn't won in LaLiga for two weeks," Valverde said.
"These are three very important points because we've had a very intense week. It's revitalising and helps maintain the gap between us and the chasing pack, which is very important. There are ten games left and we are entering the decisive stretch of the season."
In his pre-match analysis, Valverde warned that Athletic would need to stay strong at the back and take their chances when they came. The gaffer's predictions were spot on.
He said: "We expected it to be a tight and difficult match. We knew we had to be solid and clinical.
"Neither team had the clear upper hand today. We had chances to take the lead, but they also created danger. We scored from a set-piece and these are three fundamental points for the fight we're in this year."