The Football Analyst Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic Bilbao has showcased a tactical approach that combines disciplined defending with quick, attacking play, making them a formidable presence in La Liga. Valverde’s experience and understanding of Bilbao’s traditional playing style have allowed him to craft a team that is both resilient and creative. Known for his tactical adaptability and sharp strategic insights, Valverde has tailored a system that maximizes Bilbao’s strengths, from their high-intensity pressing to efficient ball movement. This analysis will explore the tactical elements that define Athletic Bilbao under Valverde’s guidance, breaking down the formations, player roles, and in-game adjustments that contribute to their unique playing style.
Build-up
1-4-3-3
In the build-up, Valverde primarily sets his team up in a 1-4-3-3 formation, with a back four, one number-six, two number-eights, and a front three.
Building up in a 1-4-3-3 formation focuses on creating a solid foundation at the back while maintaining fluidity and options in the midfield. The formation begins with four defenders, who provide width and stability, allowing for controlled possession from deep areas. The single defensive midfielder connects the defense to the midfield, dictating the tempo and distributing the ball to the two more advanced central midfielders. These midfielders position themselves to exploit spaces between the opposition’s lines, creating passing triangles that facilitate smooth progression up the pitch. The three forwards, with the central striker as the focal point, are always ready to receive the ball, either through direct passes or by making runs behind the defense. This setup allows the team to transition quickly from attack to defense, maintaining pressure on the opponent while ensuring defensive coverage.
1-4-2-4
Most of the time, however, Athletic Bilbao will rotate into a very dynamic and fluid 1-4-2-4 structure instead of staying in the 1-4-3-3 formation.
This shift occurs as the team pushes forward, with one of the central midfielders, usually Oihan Sancet, advancing into a more attacking role and the wingers playing higher up alongside the striker. This tactical rotation adds unpredictability to Bilbao’s offensive play, as it opens up more options in the final third and stretches the opposition’s defense. By creating a front four, Valverde enables quick overloads on the flanks or through the center, allowing Bilbao to launch aggressive and direct attacks. The 1-4-2-4 structure also encourages fluid movements and interchange among the attackers, making it challenging for opponents to mark specific players or predict the next move.
In Valverde’s dynamic 1-4-2-4 structure, Oihan Sancet operates in a highly free role, moving fluidly across the attacking line. His freedom allows him to drop into midfield to support build-up play or push forward to add an extra body high up the pitch. Sancet’s versatility and movement make him difficult to mark, helping to create space for both himself and his teammates in key attacking areas.
Inverting a Fullback
Athletic Bilbao frequently uses an interesting tactic in their build-up, where they invert one of their fullbacks up into the midfield while the other fullback tucks in to form a back three.
This approach, often seen in Valverde’s setup, adds both stability and versatility. By pushing one fullback up, Bilbao create an extra midfield presence, allowing them to dominate central spaces and overload the opposition’s midfield. Meanwhile, the other fullback, shifting inward, helps maintain a strong defensive structure, ensuring cover against counterattacks. This shape enables smoother transitions and increased ball control in advanced areas while providing more passing options, supporting Athletic’s methodical build-up play and facilitating their aggressive, high-possession style.
Additionally, when a fullback inverts, the opposition winger usually comes inside to cover the run, which opens the passing lane from the Bilbao center-back to the winger. The center-back can play the ball to the winger, who can attack the opposition fullback and combine with a central midfielder to create a 2v1 situation.
High Backline
Another massive aspect of Valverde’s high build-up is to have the defenders high up and close to the center. This helps in the counterpress because they get closer to the midfield. Having more players close to the center who can win the ball back makes it difficult for the opposition to do anything when they win possession. Furthermore, the high backline shortens the distance between players, shortening the time and length of the passes and preventing the opposition from pushing up their defense.
Finding the Pockets
Valverde’s players always try to find the attackers in the pockets. These “pockets” refer to the spaces between the opposition’s defensive and midfield lines, where the Bilbao attackers, especially Oihan Sancet, can drop into and receive the ball.
By positioning themselves intelligently in these pockets, the Bilbao attackers can turn quickly and face the opposition’s goal, creating opportunities for through balls, driving runs, or direct shots. This positioning forces the opposition to make difficult decisions. If an opposition defender steps up and closes down the Bilbao player, he potentially leaves space behind. However, if he stays back, he allows the attacker time on the ball. The Bilbao defenders and holding midfielders will look for straight passes, breaking the opposition lines and finding the dropping attackers who can turn and drive at the defense.
Finding these pockets is crucial for maintaining fluidity in attack and ensuring that the team can progress the ball effectively through the middle of the pitch.
Balls in Behind
The Bilbao attackers, mainly the Williams brothers, consistently make aggressive runs in behind the opposition defense when the Bilbao fullbacks receive the ball. This movement is a key aspect of their offensive strategy, designed to stretch the defensive line and create space. As the fullbacks advance, the forwards will run in behind the opposition backline, exploiting gaps between defenders and allowing themselves to receive well-placed through-balls. The coordination between the fullbacks and attackers makes Athletic Bilbao’s offense unpredictable and difficult to defend against.
Additionally, this constant threat prevents the opposition from playing with a high backline and closing the space between the lines. Instead, they have to drop the backline and protect the space in behind. This opens the space in front of the backline for the Bilbao midfielders to exploit.
Counter-Movements
The Bilbao forwards will also use counter-movements to make it even more difficult for the opposition defenders. When one attacker makes the run in behind, another one will often drop. This forces the opposition center-backs to make a decision. If they step up on the dropping striker, the space behind them opens up, allowing Athletic Bilbao to play a through-ball to the attacker who is making the run in behind. However, if they stay in the backline to cover the run, the ball can be played to the dropping striker, who can turn and attack the defense.
In this situation, the opposition center-back pushes up on the dropping striker, opening the space in behind for Nico Williams to receive a through-ball.
However, in this situation, the center-back follows the running attacker, allowing the dropping striker to receive the ball in between the lines.
Creating 1v1 Situations
Athletic Bilbao’s game plan often centers around getting the ball to Nico Williams on the wing, where his speed and dribbling skills make him a constant threat. To create these 1v1 situations, Bilbao frequently looks to build play through quick, progressive passing, drawing the opposition’s midfield toward the ball. By doing this, they create more space on the flanks for Williams to exploit. The team also utilizes the movement of the central players and the fullbacks to pull defenders inward, isolating Williams against his direct marker.
When he receives the ball in these situations, Williams is given the freedom to drive at the opposing fullback, aiming to beat him on the dribble or cut inside to create shooting or crossing opportunities. This strategy of isolation and spacing on the wing has been instrumental in Bilbao’s attacking play, making the most of Williams’ talent to disrupt defenses and create chances.
Additionally, opponents often try to neutralize Nico Williams by crowding him with additional defenders, doubling, or even tripling up on the wing to limit his space and prevent 1v1 situations. While this can stifle Williams’ impact momentarily, it frequently leaves gaps in other areas of the pitch. Bilbao takes advantage of this by switching play or finding central players who now have more space to operate. Therefore, this forced adjustment by the opposition can end up backfiring, as it stretches their shape and opens up new opportunities for Bilbao’s attack.
Attacking the Half-Space
Valverde’s players usually look to create chances by attacking the space between the opposition center-back and fullback. They primarily do this from the wide areas with underlaps from the attackers or central midfielders. When the winger receives the ball out wide he will attract the opposition fullback. This opens the space between the fullback and the center-back, which allows a different Bilbao player to make the underlapping run into this space. The ball can be played to the underlapping player, who can cross the ball into the box or attack his defender in a 1v1 situation.
The winger does not have to play the ball to the underlapping player. The run from the Bilbao player will often drag away an opposition defensive midfielder, which opens the space inside. The winger can take the ball inside and shoot or find a pass to a free player in front of the backline.
Defending
Athletic Bilbao’s base formation when defending is the 1-4-4-2 formation. They look to set up in a mid-block, always trying to close the center and force the opposition out wide.
Defending in the 1-4-4-2 formation is all about balance, compactness, and discipline. The team defends in two compact lines of four, with the forwards positioned ahead of the midfield. The two forwards play a crucial role, not only as the first line of defense but also in initiating the team’s pressing strategy. Valverde wants his team to stay compact without dropping too low, preferably closing the space between the midfield and backline.
Athletic Bilbao’s defensive work rate is a hallmark of their identity, driven by intense energy and discipline. Under Ernesto Valverde, the team defends as a cohesive unit, with each player committed to pressing and covering space. Bilbao’s forwards and midfielders relentlessly close down opponents, aiming to disrupt buildup play high up the field. This collective work ethic means every player, from attackers to defenders, plays an active role in maintaining a compact shape and pressuring the ball carrier. Their high defensive work rate stifles opposition attacks and creates turnovers in dangerous areas, setting up quick counterattacks. This approach reflects Bilbao’s traditional grit and determination, making them a difficult team to break down and a relentless force on the pitch.
Squeezing the Pitch
To prevent his team from becoming too low when defending, Valverde wants his team to squeeze the pitch. This means constantly pushing the team up as much as possible. Every time the opponent plays a slow, sideways pass or a back pass, Bilbao’s first line of pressure pushes up, with the rest of the team following to stay compact. When the next pass comes, they push up even more, forcing the opponent back even more.
This approach keeps opponents under constant pressure, making it difficult for them to build rhythm or find space between the lines. It also pushes the opponent further away from the Bilbao goal, making it harder to create chances.
High Press
Valverde also wants to press the opposition high up the pitch. Their pressing structure will depend on the opposition, but they primarily press in their standard 1-4-4-2 formation.
When the play starts, the strikers will try to close off one opposition center-back by making angled pressing runs, forcing the opposition to one side. The rest of the players will shift across and try to win the ball by using the touchline as an extra defender.
When the opposition gets pushed out to one side, the Bilbao players will be extremely aggressive and intensely press to win the ball. They will come across with many players, creating numerical superiorities around the ball, limiting the options for the ball-carrier, often resulting in a long ball and loss of possession.
The benefit of Bilbao’s pressing system is that it usually gives them a numerical advantage against the opposition attackers, which gives them more control when defending long balls. It also allows them to be very flexible in the high press. If a central midfielder, for example, needs to push up to close down an opponent, big spaces open up in the middle. When that happens, a Bilbao defender can push up to close that space without leaving an opposition attacker completely open.
Defensive Transitions
Athletic Bilbao are also great in defensive transitions. In possession, they always have many players high up and close to the ball, which creates good conditions for counterpressing. Many players close to the ball after losing possession means that many players can work towards regaining possession. Valverde’s players are also very aggressive in the first seconds after losing the ball. The four or five players closest will immediately jump on the opposition player with the ball and close the distance to cut off any passing lanes. This approach disrupts the opponent’s transition from defense to attack, forcing errors and creating opportunities to regain control in dangerous areas.
Counterpressing like this keeps Athletic Bilbao on the front foot, allowing them to dominate possession and create more scoring opportunities. However, it requires exceptional fitness, tactical discipline, and teamwork.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Ernesto Valverde’s tactical approach at Athletic Bilbao demonstrates his deep understanding of the club’s identity and the unique strengths of his players. His structured but flexible strategies, particularly in defensive organization and swift attacking movements, emphasize Bilbao’s traditional resilience while adapting to the demands of modern football.
Valverde’s emphasis on high pressing, disciplined defensive lines, and rapid attacks has allowed Athletic to remain competitive, making them a challenging opponent for any team. His tactical mastery and alignment with Bilbao’s ethos continue to be vital assets, promising an exciting future as he shapes a team that balances tradition with tactical innovation.
