Athletic Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde has said his side are aiming to cause a shock result this evening when they visit Real Madrid.
The Basque outfit come into the game on the back of a six game winless run, perhaps as a result of struggling to deal with the extra demands placed on the squad by the addition of Champions League football this season.
Athletic have also failed to win in their last 10 visits to the Santiago Bernabeu, but the manager said he is confident his players can turn the tables on recent form.
Speaking to journalists at his press conference, Valverde said: “First we would like to take all three points and after that, compete and play well.
And he added: “We would rather be beaten fighting and playing well. Barca beat us because they are a great side but at least we gave them a game.
“Last season I felt that Madrid beat us too easily. We don’t just want to give a good impression out on the field of play, we want to win – that is our priority.”
Finally, he recognised Real have a strong side but urged his team not to be scared by reputation alone.
“They are very strong but we can stand up to them at our ground. We are in a delicate moment but we have plenty of positives to focus on,” he stated.
