Valverde’s Touch: A Resurgence in Bilbao
When Ernesto Valverde returned to the San Mamés dugout in 2022, there were murmurs, not roars. Could he recapture the fire he once sparked in Bilbao? Now, with the 2023–24 season wrapping up and Athletic Club eyeing a Champions League berth, the answer speaks for itself.
Valverde’s third spell at the helm has marked a return to consistency and ambition. After guiding the club to a respectable 8th place finish in 2022–23, he’s elevated them even further this season—a potential top-four finish now firmly within reach.
His influence is nothing new to Los Leones faithful. During his second stint from 2013 to 2017, Valverde delivered one of the club’s best modern-era campaigns: a 4th place finish in 2013–14, securing Champions League football and restoring pride in the Basque stronghold. That era also included solid league finishes of 5th and 7th, proving his tactical consistency.
In stark contrast, the years without Valverde read like a cautionary tale: 16th place in 2017–18, followed by a stretch of mid-table anonymity—8th, 11th, 10th, and again 8th—highlighting a club adrift without its architect.
Now, with over 400 games as Athletic manager, Valverde isn’t just a familiar face—he’s the steady hand that guides the club’s ethos and evolution. Under his leadership, Bilbao is once again barking at the gates of Europe, not watching from the sidelines.
One thing’s clear: when Valverde is in charge, Athletic Club doesn’t just survive—they believe.
