The glory and hidden worries of Athletic Bilbao: Valverde faces the biggest test in his fourth year of coaching!

Since Ernesto Valverde's return in 2022, Athletic Bilbao has performed better and better. Almost no one could have thought things would go so smoothly - they ended their 40-year wait to miss the important trophy, won the King's Cup, entered the European semi-finals, and allowed the "Lions" to qualify for the Champions League in these three seasons.

This is the first time Athletic Bilbao has returned to this top European event in a decade, and it is also the second time they have entered the Champions League in the 21st century. This brings great excitement, but it also comes with stress. Valverde has always been able to deal with pressure well, but the higher the team climbs, the harder it will be once it falls.

Moreover, Athletic Bilbao and Valverde are facing more and more difficulties. Central defender Yere Alvarez was suspended for indefinitely before clearing his suspicion due to ingestion of banned substances. Unai Egiluz, who was expected to replace him, was reimbursed for a cruciate ligament injury. There is of course good news, including the introduction of Jesus Areso and the renewal of Nico Williams. But the team's forward problem emerged again last season: Gorka Gurusetta's goals were less than the previous year; Maron Sannadi's performance outside the penalty area was OK, but there was no threat as soon as he arrived at the penalty area. Ohan Sansett, who was originally capable of making up for this shortcoming, is now missing until at least mid-September due to a muscle tear. The No. 8 player performed amazingly last season, but was absent many times due to injuries. Unless Valverde can keep him healthy and stay on the court, Athletic Bilbao's offensive threat will drop significantly. After Egiluz and Yere were absent, Valverde's central defenders were only Dani Bivian and Etol Paredes. Although the transaction to introduce Emerric Laporte seems natural, it is still not completed. In addition, several core players are in their thirties, with Inigo Ruiz Degarareta, Yuri Belchiche and even Inijaki Williams, their stability has been tested.

Most importantly, this is Valverde's fourth season in coaching, and he faces the challenge of how to keep his tactical philosophy fresh and effective. You should know that few head coaches can succeed in their fourth season, and many coaches can't even hold on to this time. In addition, it has to be considered that Real Betis may increase its strength greatly, and Villarreal will also participate in the competition for the top four. "Txingurri" (the nickname of Valverde) has led the team out of difficulties many times, but now the challenges facing the "Lions" are getting bigger and bigger, whether in European competitions or any other event.