Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde addressed the media ahead of his side’s Champions League opener against Arsenal.
Arsenal’s opponents in the league phase of the Champions League each present a huge task for Mikel Arteta’s side to complete.
Starting in Bilbao, the Gunners will get their European campaign underway against Athletic Club, who lost at the Emirates in pre-season.
Arteta will return to the Basque Country with his Arsenal squad, who are desperate to win silverware, facing the challenge of beating Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Club.
Ernesto Valverde comments on Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi ahead of Arsenal vs Athletic Club
Valverde has experienced some real highs at Athletic Bilbao since taking the job in 2022, finishing third in La Liga last season.
Two players in the Arsenal squad will know more than anyone the threat that Valverde’s side can pose, with Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino once being the manager’s rivals.
Real Sociedad and Athletic Club are fierce rivals, with Zubimendi and Merino playing in their fair share of Basque Derbies.
For that reason, it came as no surprise for Valverde to be asked whether the two Gunners will have an additional incentive to win the game in Bilbao.
“I’ve always thought they were both good, both when they were at Real Sociedad and now,” Valverde responded in his pre-match press conference.
“I think they are the same players, obviously, this experience will help them improve even more.”
The Athletic Club boss went on to draw attention to Zubimendi’s rapid start at Arsenal, stating that the two midfielders have an advantage, having played Bilbao many times.
“We already see that Zubimendi has arrived and is already shining, and I don’t know if he has a special motivation.
“They also know us; it’s a bit of an advantage that they can have in that sense, but we also know them. We hope it’s a good match, we hope they don’t shine as much as they’d like, but it’s also an added incentive to be able to face those players.”
While Valverde is aware that Zubimendi and Merino know what his side is all about, he also toyed with the narrative that his team are well-equipped to handle the duo.
Zubimendi’s record against Athletic Club
Having spent the entirety of his career at Real Sociedad, coming up against Bilbao is Zubimendi’s equivalent of facing Tottenham.
Valverde is right, Zubimendi is well-rehearsed when it comes to his boyhood club’s rivals, having played in the Basque Derby as many as 11 times.
The Arsenal midfielder can’t escape facing Bilbao, with his 12th match against them possibly coming on Tuesday night, where he’ll hope to improve his record.
In 11 matches against Bilbao, Zubimendi has won four times, drawn three and lost four, with honours even when it comes to winning and losing.
Can the 26-year-old edge ahead and secure his fifth victory against his rivals on matchday one of the Champions League? Arsenal will certainly hope so.
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