Spanish Super Cup: Inaki Williams Breaks His Silence After Athletic Bilbao’s Loss

• Inaki Williams gave a frank assessment of Athletic Bilbao's performance in their Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona
• Williams, who saw a goal disallowed for offside in the game, believes Barca were not utterly dominant in the semi-final clash
• The 30-year-old and his teammates will now turn their attention to defending their Copa del Rey trophy after the Super Cup heartbreak

Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams has broken his silence following his team's Spanish Super Cup semi-final loss to FC Barcelona on Wednesday, January 8.

The match, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, saw the Basque side fall short in a contest where the Catalans largely dictated the tempo.

Inaki's Bilbao fell short against Barcelona

Inaki, who captained Bilbao in the clash, witnessed his side struggle to replicate the form that had seen them go unbeaten in their previous 15 outings.

Despite a late surge that included two disallowed goals—one from Williams himself—Athletic fell 2-0 to a clinical Barcelona side.

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According to Goal, the game began with an early strike from Gavi in the 17th minute, setting the tone for the encounter.

Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal doubled the lead shortly after halftime, effectively ending Bilbao's hopes of reaching the final.

Inaki reacts to Bilbao's loss to Barcelona

After the match, the Spanish-born Ghanaian shared a frank evaluation of his team’s performance.

He acknowledged their determination but lamented their inability to capitalise on key moments while downplaying Barca's dominance.

“When you play against Barcelona, you already know what they will do. We tried everything, but we couldn't do it.

"For Barça, they didn't generate that much chances anyway,” Williams remarked, as quoted by Barca Universal.

Inaki's form for Bilbao this season

While unable to score against Barcelona, the 30-year-old has been a standout performer for Athletic this season.

According to Transfermarkt, Williams has been directly involved in 13 goals across all competitions, contributing eight goals and providing five assists.

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What's next for Inaki and Bilbao?

With their Super Cup journey over, Bilbao now shifts focus to the Copa del Rey, a competition they won last season, ending a four-decade major trophy drought.

The team will look to channel their disappointment into a positive response when they host Osasuna at the Estadio San Mames on Thursday, January 16, in the Round of 16.

For Inaki and his teammates, the upcoming fixture offers an opportunity to reignite their campaign and prove their resilience after the setback against Barcelona.

Bilbao legend explains Inaki's struggles with Black Stars

In a related report, YEN.com.gh revealed that Athletic Bilbao legend Raul Garcia attributes Inaki Williams’ challenges with the Ghanaian national team to his Spanish upbringing.

While excelling at club level, Williams has managed just one goal in 17 outings for the Black Stars.

Garcia, who has played alongside Williams at Bilbao, emphasised that adapting to international football with Ghana will take time and patience.

Source: YEN.com.gh