Eguaras: 'We're playing against in-form opponents at a great stadium, but we have to be brave'
The midfielder, who will experience a very special match at San Mamés, stressed that UD Almería have to go to Bilbao without an inferiority complex when playing their game
'We're playing against opponents, who have started the league in form, at a great stadium, but we have to be brave and play our game because if we do things right we'll have our chances,' stressed UD Almería midfielder Iñigo Eguaras when looking ahead to Friday's match against Athletic Club de Bilbao.
The Rojiblanco midfielder recognised that it's time to bounce back: 'We can't wait to play. The match is coming soon and we want to win because we'll go into the match on the back of three back-to-back defeats. Our team need to restore the good vibes again... What better day than this Friday?.'
Athletic Club de Bilbao are in the Champions League spots in the LaLiga Santander table and the Navarra native footballer indicated 'we know that they've started the championship very strong. We're also going to a stadium that gets very crowded. They look solid, those players up front are creating many chances, scoring goals... but we have our options too. We don't have to go with an inferiority complex, but be brave and then we'll see what happens.'
Continuing his analysis of the Northern opponents, the 30-year-old player added 'the players up front are very fast. In transitions, they create a lot of danger to end up scoring. We have to play our game, create as many chances as we can and be fully involved in the game.'
The Antsoain-born reflected 'whenever things aren't going well, you have to engage in self-criticism. We know that we're struggling to create chances. Defensively, we're a very solid team and we don't concede that much. We were aware that this was going to be difficult, so we're now on our toes for Friday's game. Except for Real Madrid CF, no rivals have scored two goals against us so far and we're always deeply involved in the games. It's all a matter of work and improvement, and we're are working on it.'
The UD Almería footballer trained at the Athletic Club de Bilbao Academy and stated in this regard 'it's special to return to where I grew up as a player, I spent many years there. It'll be emotional to be back at San Mamés, to see people who I haven't seen in ages and to play against them again. It's a stadium where my hair stands on end.'
Eguaras will meet, among others, Iker Muniaín in Bilbao: 'We've been friends since childhood. We went together to Bilbao and I grew up with him. He started very early in the elite football... his tally speaks for itself. It'll be very special for both of us to be together on the field.'
It will certainly be an unforgettable fixture for Eguaras, but when the encounter begins, he'll only have one objective: the victory of his team UD Almería.