Athletic Club have gone from strength to strength since the return of Ernesto Valverde in 2022. Few could have imagined it going quite so smoothly, ending a 40-year wait for a major trophy in the Copa del Rey, reaching a European semi-final, and qualifying Los Leones for the Champions League in three enormously productive seasons.

It is the first time that Athletic are back in Europe’s premier competition for a decade, and just the second time they are in the Champions League in the 21st century. There will be tremendous excitement, but also pressure. Something Valverde generally deals with as well as anyone, but the higher they rise, the more difficult any drop-off will be. Looking at casino platform providers, many would gamble on Athletic as favourites for a second straight top-four finish.

Yet the headaches are mounting for Athletic and Valverde. Central defender Yeray Alvarez is banned indefinitely until he can clear his name for ingesting a prohibited substance. A potential replacement in Unai Egiluz was due to step in, but has gone down for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

There are positives, including the addition of Jesus Areso, and contract renewal of Nico Williams. Yet the striker issues returned last season, with Gorka Guruzeta struggling to provide the same goals as he did the year prior, and Maroan Sannadi effective until he reaches the box. Oihan Sancet, the man with the quality to make that shortfall up, has now been ruled out until at least mid-September with a muscle tear. Their number eight mixed brilliance with a series of absences last season, and unless Valverde can keep him on the pitch, Athletic’s goal threat decreases severely.

With Egiluz and Yeray out, Valverde has just Dani Vivian and Aitor Paredes left at centre-back, with a seemingly obvious deal for Aymeric Laporte remaining incomplete. Several key players are also ageing into their thirties, with Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, Yuri Berchiche and even Inaki Williams finding their reliability tested.

More than anything, Valverde is faced with the difficulty of keeping his messaging fresh and effective in a fourth season, one rarely famed for success, if reached at all. All of the above not considering what is likely to be a reinforced Real Betis, and a Villarreal also competing for fourth spot. El Txingurri has managed his way out of tighter spots, but the difficulty is on the rise for Los Leones, not just in Europe, but everywhere he looks.