Valverde: “The first goal of 2026 is to beat Osasuna”

Ernesto Valverde made it clear that Athletic Club's New Year's resolution is to start picking up points as quickly as possible, starting with Saturday afternoon's clash against CA Osasuna.

The Lions kick off 2026 by travelling to Pamplona where they'll face Alessio Lisci's side at El Sadar (16:15 CET).

“The first goal of 2026 is to beat Osasuna," Valverde said at his pre-match press conference.

"It's a very difficult match, against an opponent that have won 16 of their 18 points at home.

"We have one match left until the halfway point and we have to recover the points we've lost along the way. We have to be ready to fight for them.

"That is our main goal. We have to focus on the short term and starting from scratch in LaLiga."

Valverde admitted that the players have used the winter break to "reflect on this half of the season".

He said: "Some things are beyond our control, but there are other aspects that we need to improve and focus on. 

"We have to find our form, we've lost half of the league matches we've played so far.

"We want to get into a positive rhythm, but we have to go out and get it. We're going to keep working hard."

Valverde described Osasuna, currently 12th in LaLiga, as a "difficult team to beat", especially at El Sadar.

"They picked up two convincing wins at home recently, I imagine they'll be feeling confident and excited about this game.

"They've changed a few tactical aspects and strengthened their squad. They're a very dangerous team in open spaces because of the players they have up front. 

"It's will be tough game because it's a derby and there's a lot riding on this game. We need to be very well prepared and highly motivated."

As for Athletic involvement in the upcoming Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, the gaffer reiterated that it's "an opportunity to win a trophy".

He added: "For us, going to Saudi Arabia is a matter of prestige. Even though we would like our fans to be there, we have to be respectful of everything."