Cordoba C.F. vs Athletic Bilbao preview - Cordoba not giving up - Romero

Posted Thursday, April 23, 2015 by PA

Cordoba coach Jose Antonio Romero vowed the Primera Division's bottom side will not go down without a fight ahead of Friday's home game against Athletic Bilbao.

The Andalusian team have picked up just three points since their last victory on January 12, with last weekend's goalless draw at Villarreal leaving Romero's men eight points adrift of safety with six games remaining.

Romero took heart from Sunday's stalemate at El Madrigal, however, and promised his men will carry on playing with their heads held high.

"We are not going to allow ourselves to be buried alive," he said to the Spanish press. "There are still six games left to play.

"Against Villarreal, we showed that with pride things can be achieved.

"We will continue to compete with the utmost respect for the competition."

Cordoba, alongside Granada, have the weakest strike force in the competition with just 21 goals scored in 32 games.

"This is our biggest problem," Cordoba's Portuguese foward Bebe said. "The ball doesn't want to go in.

"But we will keep trying. We need to show more focus. We still have time to save ourselves, but we need a win against Athletic."

The hosts will be bolstered by the return of defender Daniel Pinillos and midfielder Borja Garcia from suspensions.

Athletic travel to the Estadio Nuevo Arcangel looking to maintain their push for European football next season.

The Basque outfit halted a three-match winless streak with a 4-0 home triumph over Getafe last time out.

Ernesto Valverde's side sit eighth in the standings - three points adrift of Malaga, who hold the last European qualifying spot.

"The key for us is to show the same intensity as we did against Getafe," Athletic midfielder Mikel Rico said. "Cordoba still have a mathematical chance to avoid the drop and we cannot fail if we are to maintain the pressure on Malaga.

"Cordoba already beat us 1-0 at home earlier this season and we expect a difficult game."

Athletic welcome back midfielders Ander Iturraspe and Oscar de Marcos, with the former having recovered from a muscular injury and the latter returning from suspension.