Athletic Bilbao has made it through to the round of 16 in the Europa League after finishing as group runner-up. The Basque club beat Inter Milan on penalties in their final match and will now face a team from Ligue 1.
The draw for the round of 16 was held on Thursday night and Athletic Bilbao were drawn against Paris Saint-Germain. The two teams have never met before but Athletic Bilbao's manager, Ernesto Valverde, is confident that his side can progress.
"I'm very happy with our performance in the Europa League," said Valverde. "We played well against Inter Milan and we knew that this would be a difficult game. But I am proud of my players and I believe that they deserve to go further in the competition."
Valverde also spoke about the importance of playing in Europe's premier club competition and he believes that it will help to improve the club's chances of success in the future.
"Playing in Europe's top competitions is important for any football club," said Valverde. "It gives us the opportunity to play against some of the best teams in the world and it helps to build our squad up for future challenges."
Athletic Bilbao's run in the Europa League has been impressive so far and they are now set to face a Ligue 1 club in the round of 16. The club has a rich history in European football and they are known for their strong defensive record.
"We want to continue our good form and we know that we have a tough opponent ahead of us," said Valverde. "But I am sure that our players will give their all and we will do everything we can to progress to the next stage of the competition."