Athletic Bilbao forward Iñaki Williams has pledged a determined fightback against Manchester United in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, despite a humbling 3-0 loss at San Mamés.
The Basque side endured a difficult evening on home soil as United capitalised on key moments to take control of the tie.
The defeat was a bitter blow for Bilbao, especially given the symbolic significance of hosting the final at their own stadium.
Speaking to Movistar immediately after the match, Williams reflected on what went wrong and made it clear that the tie is far from over.
“The little details made the difference,” he said, pointing to what he believed were pivotal moments that swung the match in United’s favour. “But we started very well. We spent the first 25 minutes in Manchester United’s penalty area. They really struggled…”
Williams also expressed frustration over what he viewed as questionable officiating, particularly around the incident leading to United’s penalty.
“When we conceded the first goal, we were severely punished for our mistakes. And these actions by the referee worry us. The penalty came after a handball by Alejandro Garnacho, but the referee didn’t see it, nor did the linesman…”
The Ghanaian international stopped short of blaming the defeat entirely on officiating but did not hide his disappointment.
“At the slightest contact, the attacker goes to the ground, and that’s football: they’ll whistle for that,” he said, echoing the sentiments of many fans in the stands.
Despite the daunting task ahead, Williams was clear about Bilbao’s intentions for the second leg
. “It’s also true that we weren’t quite there, so I have no more excuses. We’re 0-3 down, but we can make up for it. We’re going to Old Trafford to give it our all. There’s no reason to be wary. We’re going there with full confidence. And we’re doing everything we can to reach the final.”
Athletic Bilbao now faces the steep challenge of overturning a three-goal deficit away at Old Trafford.
But if Williams’ words are anything to go by, the Basque club will not go down without a fight.
