Bielsa desperate for much-needed win

Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa knows time is running out if his side want to qualify from the Europa League group stages.

The Basque club – who lost the 2012 final to Atletico Madrid – sit bottom of Group I with just one point from two fixtures.

And it does not get any easier for Bielsa’s men, who travel to France to play group-toppers Lyon on Thursday.

“If we are to have any chance of progressing past the group stage, we need to win three of the four remaining games have,” Bielsa said.

“We don’t have too many opportunities now for us not to consider tomorrow’s game as one of them and not take our chance.”

Athletic Bilbao are also struggling in La Liga, sitting fourth from bottom and just two points above the relegation zone.

But while Bielsa admits he is worried about Athletic’s domestic form, he does not believe European football will be a distraction.

“We are concerned about our position in La Liga, but we are ready to play twice per week,” he said.

“I don’t think our European games are detrimental to our performances in La Liga. We are ready to play both competitions without any problems.”

Athletic Bilbao winger Markel Susaeta recognises beating Lyon in France will be difficult but says his team are going there focused only on getting a win.

“We know that if we want to progress in the Europa League we need to win tomorrow (Thursday),” Susaeta said.

“We know also it is going to be difficult, but we’re going there to win. They are a very strong team at home but we have to do our best to get the points.

“We already know their strength when they play at home. Besides, they have top-level strikers who are playing at international level. So we must play almost perfectly if we want to get the victory here.”