Celta Vigo vs Athletic Club preview - Valverde calls for renewed focus

Posted Friday, March 13, 2015 by PA

Athletic Club coach Ernesto Valverde has urged his side to put the euphoria from reaching the Copa del Rey final and beating Real Madrid behind them and refocus their attention on securing Primera Division survival, starting with Saturday's trip to Celta Vigo.

The Basques have endured a difficult domestic season after getting off to their worst ever start to a campaign but have won their last three league games to move onto 33 points.

And Valverde wants his side to continue on their winning run against Celta so they can reach the 40 points mark - which will all but guarantee survival - as soon as possible.

"We have a fundamental game coming up," Valverde told a press conference.

"It's true that our recent results have strengthened us but our objective for the remainder of the season is to get the three victories we need to get away from the relegation zone and then look forward and see if there is a chance of reaching seventh place."

Malaga currently occupy the seventh spot in the league and the final place in the table that offers a place in next year's Europa League, but are eight points above Athletic, as well as having a superior head-to-head record.

"They are eight points ahead of us but in reality it's nine points, so it will be difficult but we should try anyway and to do that Saturday's game with Celta is fundamental," added Valverde.

Athletic would qualify for Europe automatically if they beat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, but Valverde said it was not in his team's interests to drop their intensity between now and that match, which is scheduled for the end of May.

"A team cannot stop being competitive for a month and then focus on being competitive again for a certain month," he said.

"We still have a long way to go until the date of the final and we have to get there in good shape, but we still have a bit more to prove in the league and we want to do that."

Celta are one point behind Athletic, their five-game unbeaten streak coming to an end with last week's 4-1 defeat at Villarreal. They will have midfielder Michael Krohn-Delhi available again after the Danish international recovered from a back problem, but Andreu Fontas is doubtful.

Athletic captain Carlos Gurpegui is suspended, while midfielders Mikel Rico and Ander Iturraspe are injured.