Iñaki Williams Admits Athletic Bilbao Dressing Room ‘Feels Like a Funeral’ After Copa Del Rey Exit
Iñaki Williams has opened up about the mood within Athletic Bilbao following their painful elimination from the Copa del Rey semifinals at the hands of fierce Basque rivals Real Sociedad.
The Ghana national football team forward played the full match during Wednesday night’s decisive second leg at Estadio Municipal de Anoeta. However, Bilbao were unable to recover from the setback suffered in the first leg at San Mamés Stadium, eventually crashing out 2–0 on aggregate.
The defeat adds to what has been a frustrating campaign for the club under head coach Ernesto Valverde. After a strong previous season that secured a long-awaited return to European competition, Bilbao have struggled to reproduce the same level of consistency this term.
Their domestic form has also left them outside the top positions in La Liga, with the team currently sitting ninth on the table with 35 points after 26 matches.
The club’s difficulties have extended to Europe as well. Expectations were high following their return to the UEFA Champions League, but the Spanish side endured a disappointing campaign and exited during the group stage.
Speaking after the semifinal defeat, Williams did not hide the emotional toll the loss 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,” he said.
“The season is proving how difficult it is for us, and our fans deserved a little joy,” Williams added.
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad will shift focus to the final of the competition where they are scheduled to face Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey showpiece on April 18, 2026.
