Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde says they'll give everything for a place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Los Leones face Valencia at Mestalla on Thursday night, the same place where Los Che knocked Athletic out in the semi-finals last year.

"It's one of the most important matches because it is definitive, one team will go through and the other won't," Valverde said at a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

"The prize is very massive and we will have to give it everything we've got to get through to the semi-finals. We're going to go for it."

Gennaro Gattuso's side gave the Lions a tough match during their LaLiga meeting back in August, Athletic winning 1-0 thanks to an Alex Berenguer goal.

Valverde added: "They play brave football and look to take the initiative. They're in good shape despite the fact results haven't gone their way lately.

"We're two teams with different personalities. This season we struggled a lot against them and they also had chances. Tomorrow will be a similar match and if we want to win we'll have to go for it. The only thing that counts is a win."