Thursday, March 29, 2012
Athletic Bilbao winger Markel Susaeta knows his side cannot afford to waste any chances when they face Schalke 04 in their Europa League quarter-final first leg in Gelsenkirchen tonight.
Athletic drew 1-1 at home to struggling Sporting Gijon on Sunday after they conceded a last-minute equaliser. The La Liga side also missed a first-half penalty through striker Iker Muniain. Schalke pose dangerous goal-scoring threats in the form of Raul and Klaas Jan Huntelaar, but having already dispatched Manchester United in the round of 16, Susaeta believes Athletic can harness that form against the side currently third in the Bundesliga.
“If we play like we know we can, like we did in Manchester for example, I think we have a great chance of getting a good result and then we will try to get through,” Susaeta said.
Quarter-finals (all kick-offs 8.05pm):
Atletico Madrid v Hannover 96
AZ Alkmaar v Valencia
Schalke 04 v Athletic Bilbao
Sporting Lisbon v Metalist Kharkiv