Athletic Bilbao boss Ernesto Valverde has praised his side following Sunday's 1-0 win over Sevilla.

The Basque outfit have struggled in the early part of the campaign, but the three points this weekend moved the club into 11th spot in the La Liga table.

"It's impossible to put a value on how much these points were worth for both teams. This was a hard-fought encounter, against a very strong opponent and a great spectacle for the fans," Inside Spanish Football quotes Valverde as saying.

"Now we're feeling a lot calmer and happier, because we've beaten a great opponent.

"I hope that beyond the points we've earned today, this gives our confidence a further boost, ahead of our upcoming games."

Bilbao return to Champions League action against Porto this week.