In his reflections on Athletic Bilbao’s Copa del Rey elimination, Ghanaian international Iñaki Williams acknowledged that the atmosphere in the dressing room was like a funeral after their semifinal loss to fierce Basque rivals Real Sociedad.
In the Basque derby’s second leg, which took place at the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta on Wednesday night, the Black Stars forward started and gave it his all as Athletic Bilbao lost by a slim margin.
Williams’ team was already behind after losing the first leg at San Mamēs Stadium last week before the pivotal match. As a result, Real Sociedad advanced to the championship final with a 2-0 aggregate victory.
Speaking after the match, Williams could not hide his disappointment, expressing the emotional toll the defeat had taken on the squad. “The dressing room feels like a funeral; we are hurting. It hurts because they are our eternal rivals and because we were not at our usual level.”
Williams, who is the captain of Athletic Bilbao admitted the team’s performance fell short of expectations and acknowledged the pain of missing out on a place in the final.
Williams also described the current campaign as a difficult one for the club, citing inconsistent performances that have made the season more challenging than anticipated.
“The season is proving how difficult it is for us, and our fans deserved a little joy,” he added.
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad will face Atletico Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey, scheduled for April 18, 2026.
