Yeste: Llorente rumours harming Athletic Bilbao

Nov 8, 2012 9:20:00 AM

The former Los Leones midfielder believes the doubt around the San Mames striker's future at the Basque club is not helping head coach Marcelo Bielsa

Francisco Yeste believes the speculation surrounding the future of Fernando Llorente is harming Athletic Bilbao.

The striker is yet to sign a new deal at the club with his current contract expiring in June 2013 and former Los Leones midfielder thinks the situation is not helping the side.

"Right now I'm not in the Athletic locker-room so I do not know what is being experienced," Yeste told Marca.

"[But] the way the year has started, the case of Llorente has unbalanced the atmosphere a bit."

The Basque outfit have made a poor start to their Liga campaign having taken just 11 points from their first 10 games, but the 32-year-old believes current coach Marcelo Bielsa is still the right man for the job.

"I believe that Bielsa is very good and I don't know that changing coaches would be the solution.

"I believe that the key to overcome the crisis is to allow the coach to work and give confidence to the players. They are a young team though and experienced players have come out of this."

Atheltic host Sevilla at San Mames on Saturday afternoon.