🎥Valverde, thoughts after a tough exit | OneFootball

The Athletic coach wanted to turn the page on the Champions League elimination and focused his energy on the derby against Real Sociedad.

Losing hurts, but it’s important not to lose sight of what truly matters for an Athletic team that came close to staying alive in the competition. 

Ernesto Valverde stated that Sunday’s match against Real Sociedad is his real Champions League, and what always matters at Athletic is La Liga.

He would have preferred a different ending for a Champions League run that was a beautiful dream, but it certainly wasn’t easy, with significant physical wear and long-term injured players.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 Ion Alcoba Beitia - 2026 Getty Images