As 3:00 am Beijing time approaches this Friday, Athletic Bilbao's entire team is preparing for their first away match in the UEFA Cup league stage against Serie A rivals Roma. In the pre-match press conference, Athletic Bilbao manager Valverde expressed his satisfaction with the team's form and his anticipation for the upcoming challenge.
"We are in good shape at the moment, the whole team is in a calm state of mind, we are very happy to be involved in this high-level tournament and are very eager to compete against good teams like Roma." Valverde emphasized that despite the fact that there are some young players in the squad who lack experience in European competitions, their excellent performances in the national team have given him confidence in the future of the team.
Speaking about this week's training, Valverde said that there is nothing particularly different, but that the team is well aware of the importance of the European tournament as an important stage to showcase their strengths. He made special mention of the fact that the team will be playing against one of the most important teams in Italy and Europe in a spectacular stadium, which will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience.
Although Valverde has experienced some bitter defeats in his career, including the bitter memory of being knocked out of the Champions League by Roma in a come-from-behind quarterfinal in the 2017-18 season, he said that those memories will not affect his focus on the upcoming matches. "Memories are always selective, it's important that we seize the present and focus on the game in front of us."
Regarding Roma's coaching change, Valverde said that it will not create extra difficulties for Athletic Bilbao. "Roma have done well after the coaching change, and Juric led the team to show great strength against Udinese. We know they will definitely give their all, but we are also confident of meeting any challenge."
Speaking about the squad, Valverde revealed that due to Sanchez missing the game due to muscle overload, the team will make the necessary rotations to keep the players fit and in shape. "We have a lot of games coming up and it's normal to rotate. Just like what will happen in Roma as well, we need to make adjustments according to the players' form and the demands of the game."
Finally, Valverde expressed his expectations for the game and his confidence in the team. "We don't know if the game will be open or closed, but we hope for a good result. It's a game we're still figuring out, but we'll go all out to win. At the same time, it's a good opportunity for us to get back into European competition and we hope to give our fans a good game."
