Athletic Bilbao vs Valladolid
Athletic Bilbao
Valladolid
vs
Sunday 7th March 2010
Venue: San Mames
Kick-off: 18:00
Score: 2 - 0
Valladolid crave crucial win from unlikeliest source
Athletic Bilbao will attempt to heap more problems on struggling Real Valladolid on Sunday by recording their fifth successive league win at San Mames.
Valladolid have won just once since October and in nine matches in 2010 they have picked up only four points - all coming from draws.
That dismal run has seen them slump into the relegation zone and last weekend's 2-1 home defeat to travel-shy Real Mallorca left them four points adrift of Real Zaragoza and safety.
Valladolid will know they are running out of time to turn things around, but history - both recent and longer term - suggests they may not be enjoying too much success this weekend either.
Not only have seventh-placed Athletic been in fine domestic form at home over the past few months, but in 39 league meetings between the two clubs at San Mames down the years, Valladolid have won just three and lost 27.
However, new Valladolid coach Onesimo Sanchez, who replaced Jose Luis Mendilibar several weeks ago, believes he has seen signs of improvement from his side in recent weeks and is now looking for them to take the next step and go on and win a match.
"Having been better for large parts of the last three games, we've only picked up two points and the team is affected by this and we have to resolve it," said Onesimo, whose side have led in each of the recent games against Zaragoza, Osasuna and Mallorca.
"We need to overcome the fear of winning and convince the players that matches last for 90 minutes.
"We have to want the ball and then use it well."
Regarding Sunday's opponents, Onesimo said: "Athletic are very good in the air and are dangerous at set-pieces. They are going through a good moment, are playing with calm and have turned San Mames into a fortress.
"Statistically they score goals in the first 20-25 minutes, so it will be a difficult game. But we are ready to play at any ground and against any opponent. We cannot allow any more games to slip away."
Onesimo is set to be without Sisi, Jacobo Sanz, Henrique Sereno, Fabian Canobbio and Jonathan Sesma for the match.
Athletic recovered from their Europa League exit at the hands of Anderlecht by holding fourth-placed Sevilla to a goalless draw at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan last weekend.
The Basque giants may have felt they could have done even better though after playing against 10 men for almost the entire second half, and defender Mikel San Jose hopes they will not let slip any opportunities against Valladolid.
"These games are usually ones of very few chances, so we will have to make the most of the ones we get to win the game," he said in El Correo.
"Everything that moves us closer to the European places is going to give us confidence to continue fighting.".
Athletic lost 3-1 to Paraguay in a friendly in midweek but coach Joaquin Caparros gave some much-needed game time to the recently-injured Inigo Diaz De Cerio, and the former Real Sociedad striker has subsequently been named in an 18-man squad for Sunday's match.
