Lekue: "The aim is 42 points, then we’ll see where we stand"

Iñigo Lekue stressed that Athletic Club must focus on the short-term goal of reaching 42 points in LaLiga before the players can start thinking about other objectives.

Heading into Sunday's clash with Real Betis at San Mames (18:30 CET), the Lions are currently 10th in the standings on 35 points, six away from sixth-placed Celta Vigo.

"We need to get to 42 points and do it as soon as possible, then we can see where we stand," the full-back said when asked about Athletic's aims for the season.

The Bilbao-born defender said his teammates should use their performance against FC Barcelona as "the example to hold on to" as they look to bounce back from last week's defeat to Girona, saying: "It’s the closest we can get to what we need to do to secure victory."

Lekue reflected on a season "with a lot of competitions", reiterating that "whether the performances have been good or bad, we always try to give our all".

He continued: "In training, you can really feel the intensity, the attitude and the team’s competitive spirit, which is what we then try to carry into the matches at the weekend, but it’s not going as we’d hoped."

When asked about morale in the dressing room, Iñigo said: "When matches take a turn for the worse and our opponents take the lead, it’s hard to stay positive, but it’s nothing we can’t overcome or haven’t overcome before. It’s all part of the game."

With just ten LaLiga matches remaining this season, Lekue emphasised that at the moment "every match presents a good opportunity to pick up three points".

The full-back added: "The first opportunity is this Sunday, because it’s the most immediate, because we’re playing at home, and because we’re facing Betis, who have a midweek fixture."