Athletic can claim a place in the Europa League knockout phase with a draw at home to BATE on Wednesday, but they have struggled in Europe's elite competition this term, winning just one of their five matches since overcoming Napoli in qualifying.
The Spanish side's early-season domestic form also appeared to be affected, with Ernesto Valverde's men emerging victorious only once in their first eight Liga contests, leaving them 18th in early October.
They have since improved and currently sit ninth in the Spanish top flight, though a 1-0 home defeat to Cordoba on Saturday - the Andalusian club's first La Liga win in 42 years - was something of a set-back.
"We are going out as always; to win the match," he told reporters. "We were not good against Cordoba. It was not our match and we lost a great opportunity. Against Cordoba our mistakes were punished.
"We were not good at anything in Borisov [either] and we will prove that we are better and we are going to be third.
"The blow against Cordoba was very strong, but Wednesday is a very important match. We will continue in Europe."
Only once have they not finished bottom of their group, with the 2012-13 season being the exception, as they went on to lose to Fenerbahce in the Europa League's last 32.
BATE's domestic season finished at the end of November, with the champions extending their record unbeaten run to 31 league games.
He told the club's official website: "[We] would love to [finish third]. From this perspective it is a pity that Shakhtar Donetsk lost to Athletic.
"But everything will be decided in Bilbao. It all depends on BATE and getting the tactics right for the match."
