Ernesto Valverde Confirms Departure from Athletic Club

Ernesto Valverde has officially announced that his third tenure as manager of Athletic Club will conclude at the end of the current season. While his four-year spell has largely been marked by significant achievements, the current campaign has not consistently met the high standards set previously.

Under Valverde's leadership, Athletic achieved a historic milestone by securing their first major trophy in four decades, lifting the Copa del Rey in 2024. This monumental victory sparked immense celebrations, drawing over a million people to the streets of Bilbao. The subsequent season saw the club qualify for the prestigious Champions League and reach the semi-finals of the Europa League, where they were eventually knocked out by Manchester United. Although Athletic returned to Europe's premier club competition this year after a ten-year absence, their journey didn't unfold as planned.

Valverde's Exit: "A decision agreed with the club"

The announcement was made public on Friday through a statement released by Athletic, featuring words from Valverde himself. He declared: "Hello everyone. I’m here today to announce that I won’t be Athletic’s head coach next season. This is a decision I’ve come to over time, one that I’ve discussed with the club, and I wanted to share it with you."

He further stressed the importance of the immediate future, adding: "At the same time, it’s worth noting that we have ten crucial league matches left, starting this Sunday against Betis. Ten matches in which we aim to achieve our goals, in which we have a lot to gain, in which we’re going to give it our all and which, without a doubt, we can win if we all stick together.”

Valverde to Reach Landmark 500 Games in Charge of Athletic

Valverde will oversee the remaining 10 La Liga fixtures this season, which will bring his total number of games managed for the club across three distinct spells to 504. His previous stints were from 2003-05 and 2013-2017, before he rejoined the club in 2022. Athletic Club has promised to arrange a "proper send-off befitting an Athletic Club legend" for him.