Osasuna vs Athletic Bilbao preview - Llorente ready to start firing again

Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente is hoping to get back on the goal trail against local rivals Osasuna and in the process aid his club's faltering bid for a top-six finish.

Llorente has not found the back of the net since scoring early on in the 2-1 defeat to Real Zaragoza six games ago.

And while the highly-rated hitman insists he is not worried by his barren spell he does admit: "I've gone several games without a goal and I'm eager to score again."

The Spain international, who has struck 20 times for club and country since last summer's World Cup success in South Africa, also revealed he has not been feeling in perfect shape recently.

"In my case, in the last few games I haven't been the best physically. I've had a little dip, but I think that's something normal in a season as long as the one I'm having," he said.

Athletic will be keeping their fingers crossed that Llorente is back to his best against Osasuna after seeing their quest for a Europa League spot suffer a series of setbacks over the last few weeks.

In their last nine games, Joaquin Caparros' side have suffered six defeats and picked up just two victories.

Fortunately for the Basque giants, the teams around them have also been dropping points, so they started this weekend just one point behind fifth-placed Sevilla and level with Atletico Madrid in sixth.

Llorente knows it will not be easy at the Reyno de Navarra stadium though, with Osasuna scrapping hard to avoid relegation.

"It's going to be a very hard-fought match, against an opponent who find themselves in a bit of a delicate situation. But we are also fighting to get into Europe, and we need the points as well as them," he said.

"I'm expecting a hostile atmosphere, as always. It's a game with a lot of rivalry, and you already know what to expect."

Osasuna looked to be making great strides in their fight to stay up following the arrival of new coach Jose Luis Mendilibar in February, the former Athletic Bilbao coach winning four of his first six games in charge.

However, Mendilibar's honeymoon period looks to have ended now with Osasuna suffering successive defeats to Atletico Madrid and Sporting Gijon, leaving the club five points above the drop zone.

Nevertheless, defender Sergio Fernandez believes a three-point haul this weekend will be a big boost to his side, saying: "If we beat Athletic, we will have taken a very important step towards staying up."