The Argentine tactician expects an attacking Europa League fixtures with Sporting, who will reciprocate http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Athletic-Club-c38535’s playing style with attacking football.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Portugal-c2984 for their UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg fixture against Sporting Lisbon.
Talking about the match, the Spanish La Liga outfit’s head coach claimed Los Leones have another tough task on their hands as he believes Sporting have a quality squad to cause problems.
He added that the Portuguese Liga side are different from their previous rivals in the Europa League, but believes that are to be respected nonetheless.
"It will be a different challenge but like United and Schalke, Sporting are an industrious side."
Continuing on the topic, Bielsa remarked that he does not believe the Lisbon-based outfit will not sit back and let them play their game, and expects them to put up a tough fight.
"There is a perception that they do not take the initiative quite so much, that we will have free rein to attack, but I am not so sure."
The experienced manager revealed that Athletic Bilbao are preparing vehemently for the match as there are no easy matches remaining in the season. He added that all competitions have their complete focus and they will like to get a positive result on their
away fixture.
"This is a big challenge but as glib as it sounds, all matches are important for us; equally important," the former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chile-c2871 national team manager said while talking to reporters during a press conference on Wednesday.
"All matches stir me, no matter who they are against. When the day comes that I am not enthused for a game it would concern me, but that is yet to happen."
Marcelo Bielsa will hope star trio of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marcos-c23772 do not have a day off and combine together to put their rivals to the sword, as they did to the famous Manchester United.
With the season entering its final stretch, Athletic Club have performed above expectations since the ousting of Joaquin Caparros.
The Basque entity are in the semi-finals of the Europa League, on course to earn a UEFA Champions League qualifying berth, and last but not the least, a Copa del Rey final appearance against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604.
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