ATHLETIC BILBAO COACH Marcelo Bielsa was relieved to see his side score a late winner in their Europa League semi-final against Sporting Lisbon last night.

Striker Fernando Llorente scored in the 87th minute at San Mames to give Bilbao a 3-1 win on the day and a 4-3 aggregate victory over two legs, enough to earn the Spaniards a spot in the final, scheduled to take place in Bucharest on May 9.

Bielsa felt his side deserved to be in the final, and praised the club’s talismanic striker, Fernando Llorente, who had a hand in all three of his side’s goals.

“Llorente played like I had never seen since I have been at this club,” Bielsa said. “Moreover, this was our smoothest match, as far as collective play goes.”

“I was very happy for my players. I congratulated them and told them they absolutely deserved this.”

Bielsa has emerged as an early favourite to succeed his close friend and colleague Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, but the 56-year-old remains reluctant to discuss his professional future, saying only:

“When the season comes to an end, the club and I will make [my contract] a priority.”

A former manager of both Argentina and Espanyol, Bielsa is best known for leading a dynamic Chile side to qualification for the knock-out stages of the 2010 World Cup.

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