Athletic Club Secures Draw Against Real Sociedad Amid Late Push

Athletic Club narrowly escaped defeat with a late surge against Real Sociedad, who were reduced to ten players following Brais Méndez’s expulsion. Coach Valverde commented, “In the end, we went all out. In the first half, Real was better than us and it looked favorable for them, but we managed to change things in the second half. We pushed hard, and they also had their chances. They defended well, and we secured a point in a match that wasn’t particularly stellar on our part.”

Regarding the expulsion, Valverde stated, “I don’t know how decisive it was, but it did leave us with a numerical advantage. I assume it was not particularly noteworthy; however, I did not see the incident.”

He expressed his thoughts on what was lacking in the team’s performance, saying, “We are a team with a lot of drive, and perhaps we were missing some clarity in our play during the first half. Often we achieve results through persistence, rather than the clear gameplay we aspire to. We cannot afford to lack that drive, especially when points are scarce. Our accomplishments stem from our spirit.”

Valverde acknowledged the tension in the dressing room, noting, “Sometimes our eagerness hinders our clarity on the pitch, but in the second half, Iñigo stepped up and contributed. The feeling from Wednesday’s match was better despite the loss, and this time we managed to draw, which leaves us feeling somewhat relieved.”

On the issue of goals conceded, he remarked, “I could elaborate extensively, but yes, it’s true. The focus should be on achieving a positive overall tally for us. Our goal-scoring statistics in the league are disappointing.”

He addressed public concerns, saying, “When you’re not accumulating points as expected, it leads to initial thoughts of uncertainty, and then it seems everyone gets anxious. We understand that we need to face this reality.”

Discussing Nico’s performance, Valverde added, “What applies to the team also applies to Nico. Our progress has been due to effort and repetition, and Nico excels in one-on-one and even two-on-one situations. We can’t expect him to succeed every time, but we need players willing to confront the opposition. He must continue to persist.”

Lastly, Valverde provided an update on the central defenders for the upcoming Copa match: “Vivian has been out of training for a week, and it’s unlikely Laporte will be available. It’s unusual for us to have three central defenders injured and one suspended. We will seek solutions as best we can.”