Valverde: "This is a crucial victory"

Ernesto Valverde praised the way his side managed the match as Athletic Club returned to winning ways with a "crucial" 2-1 win over RCD Mallorca at San Mames on Saturday evening.

The Lions took the lead via an Iñaki Williams penalty in the first half. Samu Costa equalised with an opportunistic strike late on, but youngster Alejandro Rego secured all three points with his first senior goal in the the 81st minute.

"All matches are more or less like this. We haven't won or lost by much. There's a lot of parity in the top flights," Valverde said post-match.

"We got off to a great start and could have gone into the break with a bigger lead. We went straight for the three points and managed our situation well.

"What's more, we never stopped looking for more. When you keep searching, sometimes you find something."

Valverde also singled out how his Lions reacted to Samu's equaliser.

He said: "We weren't in control of the game in the second half.

"The equaliser was a tough blow, but we regrouped and getting the win was crucial for to shake off the pressure of not winning in four games.

"We wanted to go into this two-week break feeling good, and we'll see if we can make the most of it."