Villarreal vs Athletic Bilbao preview - We will turn the corner - Valverde

Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde has put his side's poor recent form down to a lack of luck, and backed them to start turning things around with this weekend's trip to Villarreal.

The Basque side last won a Primera Division game in November and since then have endured embarrassing defeats to strugglers Cordoba, Deportivo La Coruna and Elche.

They can look forward to a Copa del Rey quarter-final tie with Malaga next week, but only just sneaked into the last eight of the competition on away goals after losing 2-0 at home to Celta Vigo on Wednesday - and faced boos from their own fans during the tie.

Valverde called the supporters' protests "understandable and necessary", but believes his team are not far away from recapturing the form that saw them finish fourth in the Primera Division last season.

"We need to realise that we are the same team as before and that we are going to turn things around," the coach told a press conference, broadcast on the club's official website.

"We have seen the statistics and teams are creating less attacks against us than last season, and we are not enjoying much luck.

"But there is always the next game to redeem yourselves and we have to generate the confidence for us to do that. In spite of everything, we are in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey, so things can't be that bad."

Athletic's only injury concern at the moment is Guillermo Fernandez, but Iker Muniain has been hit with a two-game ban for dissent following last Sunday's defeat to Elche and will miss the trip to Villarreal.

Valverde's opposite number Marcelino will be without suspended midfielder Manu Trigueros but is set to hand centre-back Mateo Musacchio a first league start in three and a half months after the Argentinian made his comeback from injury in the 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad on Wednesday, getting sent off late in the game for picking up a second booking.

The 2-2 draw at Anoeta was enough for Villarreal to make it into the last eight of the cup, and Marcelino's side are unbeaten in their last 14 games in all competitions.

"Villarreal are doing very well at the moment. They are possibly one of the most in form teams in the league at the moment," Valverde said of his former club, where he spent an ill-fated six-month spell in charge during the 2009-10 campaign.

Worryingly for Athletic, their dip in form has coincided with a change in fortunes for other sides in the bottom half of the table, and they are just three points above the relegation zone.

Valverde added: "We have a very difficult game (on Saturday), but we need the points urgently."