MADRID, 5 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of Athletic Club, Jon Uriarte, classified Atlético de Madrid, rival in the Copa del Rey semifinals, as “a great team” that has been competing “at the highest level” in all competitions for many seasons, although he highlighted that Athletic It is also “a great team” and they are having a “great season.”
“Atlético de Madrid is a great team and has been competing at the highest level in all competitions for many seasons now. They are very tough and in their field they are obtaining impressive results, among other things because of the support they receive and the pressure there is from of his fans. But we are not lame either,” he commented this Monday at the press conference.
In addition, he assured that Athletic Club is a “great team” that is having a “great season.” “We have the best fans in the world. The tie is going to be very close, very competitive,” he predicted.
Regarding Atlético's request to modify the date of the first leg, Uriarte wanted to “move away from the controversy”, although he commented that the rest issue “is a consequence” of a calendar “with so many competitions and matches”. “Sometimes it hurts you and other times it can benefit you, so I understand that they have now complained about the fact that they have two less days of rest,” he added.
“We also complained, in the 2014 season, when the same thing happened to us against Espanyol or two seasons ago against Valencia who had one more day of rest in the two games. They have a very large squad and I do not believe that the fact that they have two less days of rest on the way out, but one more day of rest on the return trip, is going to have so much influence,” he concluded.
He also gave his opinion on the controversy generated after Diego Pablo Simeone addressed Athletic as “Bilbao.” “There are many people who call Athletic Bilbao, even our fans and club members. It doesn't cause me any discomfort. I take it normally, without any type of controversy,” said Uriarte.
Regarding the balance of the red and white team's season so far, the president believes that they have not yet “drawn a tie with anyone”, although they have achieved “a good basis” to “achieve the objectives set.” “We have the second half of the season left, which is going to be quite a challenge, and we must face it with ambition as well as humility. Our goal is to qualify for Europe and we are going to fight for it,” he explained.
Uriarte also wanted to vindicate the role of the coach, Ernesto Valverde, whose contract ends in June and has not yet renewed. “A fundamental part of our being on the right path is Ernesto Valverde, with whom we are very happy and his work is being spectacular,” he confessed.
Finally, Uriarte explained Athletic's position regarding the CVC fund. “It is not interesting for Athletic because for us it did not make sense. It is a financing that is aimed at a series of uses, investment in infrastructure has a lot of weight and investment in transfers has a lot of weight and as you know, Athletic has a new stadium which is one of the best in the world and we have top-notch training facilities in Lezama,” he said.
“In terms of transfers, we are dedicated to generating talent and people with values that can reach our first teams, which is why we are not very active in the transfer market. And finally, it is an operation for the next 50 years, it is In other words, you are mortgaging the future of the club for a very long period,” he continued.
And the president of Athletic wanted to conclude by informing that they have no problem “with the rest of the clubs carrying out this operation”, but he asks that they do it “on their own” without putting the red and white club “in the pack” of the society that ” acts as guarantor of the repayment of the loan”.