Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde was delighted with their 2-1 win at Espanyol.

The Williams brothers scored a goal each as victory saw Los Leones break a 25-year winless streak on Espanyol's turf.

“It's a win worth more than three points," Valverde said in his post-match press conference.

"It's not just what it means in terms of the standings. It was a test for the team, and for the fans, so they could see we had a reaction in us. It was important for us. We're alive, we're there and we're still pursuing our objectives."

Los Leones now sit in seventh place with 40 points and 10 matches still to be played.

Valverde added: "We're happy with today's game. I always thought the team looked good. I prefer to be optimistic because the players show me that every day. Everything is going to be decided in the next few games. There's no room for mistakes or errors now."