Setien: “We were overwhelmed”

Press conference

Quique Setién has addressed the media at San Mamés Stadium after the game against Athletic Club.

Match analysis: "They have been clearly superior in the first half. We barely could leave our half of the pitch. The pressed really strong and aggressive. The few moments in which we got out, when we didn't make a mistake because we lost so many balls, the made a foul. They made seven fouls in the first ten minutes and that make sit really difficult. We were overwhelmed. We improved a bit in the second half and had more control.  We have been better on the ball and the game was more open. At the end of the game we were all the time close to their area but they defended really well."

Number of matches: "It may seem that we were tired or that we lacked the intensity or the spark because they were superior. This team is really strong physically. We didn't win the divided balls because we doin0t have that aggressivity. Our profile is different. It comes in handy if we are able to keep the possession, but for long balls and clashes, except the centre backs, William and Barragán, the rest have a different profile. Then, the players have slipped down several times, several ball losses, they got us in our area and we struggled. If we are not able to keep the ball like we know, as we did several times in the second half, we are going to suffer. The good news is we were in the game until the end, nut they had chances to score the second goal as well."

Diego Lainez: "We know he's going to give us a lot. He can dribble and he sees football well. I'm sure that what he did in that play in the first half, when he managed to shoot after a phenomenal personal play, is an example of what he can do. It wasn't an easy game for him nor any of his teammates.  If we had had the ball more in the first half, we could have hurt Athletic."