Ernesto Valverde has renewed one more season by the Athletic Clubin which he would fulfill the tenth season in the three times in which he has directed the Bilbao team, of which he was also a player and in which he formed as a coach.
Valverde's renewal was more than expected in the surroundings of the Basque Club after his outstanding season, in which he will end Fourth in LaLiga after the last day of this Sunday, so the Champions League will play next year and also the Spanish Super Cup, and reached the semifinals in A Liga Europa.
The rojiblanco coach will accompany in all his mandate of four seasons to the current president, Jon Uriarte, who, as well as the general director of Soccer of the Basque entity, Mikel González, have declared on numerous occasions that Valverde “is the best coach that Athletic can have.”
In the note, in which he advances that “Valverde renews and will fulfill a decade” at the head of the team, the Athletic points out that “after his fantastic season, the number one coach of games in the entity (451) enlarges his legend and will lead the team in his return to the 'Champions League'”.
And it is congratulated that the coach born in Viandar de la Vera (Cáceres) and raised in Vitoria has “decided to accept the challenge of directing a tenth year in the return season to the 'Champions', after an unforgettable campaign with a fourth place that will also give access to the Super Cup and a sensational career in the 'Europa League', reaching the semifinals.”
Way of the 500 games
The agreement between both parties “is until June 30, 2026 and” has been signed today in San Mamés with the President, Jon Uriarte, and under the presence of the general director of Football, Mikel González. “
Athletic points out that “Valverde, number 1 in matches in the history of Athletic Club, brings together its statistics towards the 500 directed matches, which would serve exactly with the current 451, this Sunday against FC Barcelona and the 48 that has already been guaranteed to dispute the team in its next year for its huge season.”
“A figure,” he continues the Biscay Club, “talks about the dimension of the technical laureate, which returned the Cup to Bilbao last year and has 21 years at the service of Athletic Club among its stages as a footballer and coach. Among them, the only two in the 21st century in which the Athletic Club will dispute the maximum football competition,” the Champions League.
Valverde, in words released by the Basque Club, since he will not appear before the media until tomorrow's press conference in Lezama, the previous Domingo's game against Barcelona that was already scheduled, considers to follow one more season “an important challenge.”
“I feel a responsibility here, with what the team is, with the people who work. All together when we push we are a strong team, we will see how far we can go. We must continue to compete, which is what Athletic always does well,” he said, in the face of the demanding next year.
“The 'Champions' is an immense illusion, it is a very hard competition and I hope we all enjoy it. It is another level that we have to stand up,” he added.
Spectacular numbers
Mikel Gonzalez on the other hand, he stressed that “it is a pride to do all the way by the hand of Valverde, a technician who not only makes history with the results, but helps us grow as a club.”
“It deserves all the recognition of San Mamés, it is a real legend,” said the soccer director, who stressed that Valverde's “numbers” are spectacular. “
“We are LaLiga's least thrashed team, with less losses. He has managed to give space to the entire squad in a season with 54 games without losing performance. He always knows how to find the key at all times,” Mikel González congratulated himself.