Athletic Club’s Focus Shifts Amidst Competitive Landscape

This weekend, Athletic Club will be engaging in televised competition. The team advanced its match for jornada 19 against Real Madrid due to their participation in the Supercopa. Following their defeat in that match, they will closely observe the performance of fellow contenders for European qualification, as well as those positioned below them in the standings. The primary goal for the team is to secure a spot in European tournaments for the third consecutive year, though they currently trail the sixth-place team, Real Betis, by five points. Recent results, including Betis’s slip-up against Oviedo, have provided a silver lining for the rojiblancos. However, the outcome could have been even better had Lo Ceso not equalized in the closing moments of that match.

The league standings are highly competitive, with many teams clustered in the middle section. Starting from Betis, who has 29 points, there is a significant number of teams within a single victory’s reach. Athletic Club finds itself in a precarious position, as they are closer to the relegation zone than to the top five teams in the league. They will return to La Liga action next week, facing Mallorca as visitors, with aspirations to turn around a disappointing streak of only one victory in their last five matches, three of which ended in losses.

Meanwhile, the team’s immediate focus is on the Copa del Rey, with a match scheduled for Tuesday against Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa. Coach Valverde will need to carefully manage Yuri’s return to group training following his injury, as the team enters a critical fortnight ahead. Following the Copa, they will face a sequence of matches in both La Liga and the Champions League. A victory against Atalanta could enhance their chances of progressing further in the competition.