Manolo González has repeatedly stressed the special importance of the match against Athletic Bilbao at this stage of the season. The coach emphasized that there is only one way to approach the “Lions” (Athletic Bilbao’s nickname): “We must give everything, leave it all on the pitch, just as we do in every game, even though the results have been much worse than in the first half of the season. We have to go all out to win tomorrow’s match and get closer to our goal as soon as possible. We absolutely do not want to leave it until the very end, so we must give it our all. There is no other way. The key is that we are in good form and do not lose this game. We need to compete at the highest level, regardless of who the opponent is.”
The coach insisted that he has always been “loved by the fans. When the team doesn’t win, it’s normal for the fans to be unhappy, and the coach becomes the focal point of that frustration. That’s part of the job. But I say again: I am confident the team will stay in La Liga. Everything will be decided at the end of the season. I am clear-headed; I won’t stubbornly cling to my position. I love this club and will give everything for it, because the club is bigger than any individual.”
Manolo González noted: “From a football perspective, I cannot explain what we have been through. If I still see hope, I won’t give up. We have had games where we made mistakes ourselves, and some situations that only happen when things are going wrong… but this is an experience for everyone. I take my responsibility, even though everyone has made mistakes.” He also acknowledged: “In the previous game, we controlled the match, but two avoidable errors put us in trouble. I feel that sometimes football has been very cruel to us, and I can’t offer any explanation.”
Regardless, he pointed out that the remaining matches “are difficult for everyone. We must give it our all and make no excuses.” Regarding the opponent, he emphasized: “It will be a tough game against a team with one of the best coaches in La Liga. If we are in good form, we are capable of beating any opponent.”