Ghana international Inaki Williams has turned his attention to La Liga action after Athletic Bilbao suffered a narrow defeat to Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final clash.
The Black Stars forward and club captain started the game and played 56 minutes as Athletic Bilbao fell to a 1-0 loss at the Estadio de San Mamés.
The first half ended in an intense but goalless stalemate, with both sides creating chances but failing to find the breakthrough. Real Sociedad stepped up after the break, and Spain international Beñat Turrientes struck the decisive goal in the second half to hand the visitors a crucial away victory.
Following the setback, Williams has urged his teammates to quickly refocus on the league and rebuild confidence ahead of their next La Liga fixture against Real Oviedo.
“We will focus on the league. The best thing we can do is regain confidence and get three points. We must be a team for 90 minutes, not just 45. We have to press and play in the opponent’s half,” Williams said.
Athletic Bilbao still have a chance to turn the tie around, with the return leg of the semi-final set to take place at the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta on March 4, 2026.
Despite the first-leg defeat, the Basque side remain hopeful of staging a comeback to secure a place in the final of this season’s Copa del Rey.
Williams, 31, has featured prominently for Bilbao this campaign, making 23 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals and providing two assists as he continues to play a key leadership role for the team.
