Valverde: “We need the points"

Ernesto Valverde admitted that Athletic Club urgently need to reverse their poor form in LaLiga and put some more points on the board.

The Zurigorri's first league match at San Mames after being knocked out of the Champions League is a high-profile Basque Derby.

"We need the points," Ernesto said at his pre-match press conference. "Things go your way when you go looking for them. And that's exactly what we need to do."

The gaffer reiterated that form goes out of the window when it comes to derbies, saying he is predicting "an even match".

He continued: "When we played there, they weren't well doing well in the table and now they're above us.

"We're in a spiral we want to change and they want to maintain their current form, but the odds are always evened out in derbies.

"In these types of matches, we have to be strong in our duels. We saw that in the reverse fixture. We have to give our all in every situation, especially given in the position we're in.

"Derbies are what they are. We have played many, and this is just another one, but it's a very important one."

The boss doesn't think the Donostia-based outfit have made any significant changes under new coach Sergio Mattarazzo and is expecting a classic Real Sociedad side.

"I think la Real look very similar to before," he said. "They've still got their usual fighting spirit. They have the same press and are very compact."