By OkayGoal 
Ghana international Iñaki Williams has reflected on Athletic Bilbao’s challenging season, acknowledging the disappointment following their elimination from the Copa del Rey semifinals at the hands of Basque rivals Real Sociedad.
The Black Stars attacker lasted the entire duration in the crucial return leg clash, held at the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta on Wednesday night, but Bilbao were unable to overturn their deficit from the first leg at San Mamés Stadium, eventually losing 2-0 on aggregate.
The San Mames outfit has struggled to match last season’s achievement that saw Ernesto Valverde’s side secure qualification back to Europe after long absence.
Currently, Athletic Bilbao find themselves in 9th position in the La Liga standings, accumulating 35 points after 26 matches into the season.
In the Champions League, the Spanish outfit struggled to live up to expectation, bowing out of the competition as one of the underperforming teams during the group phase.
Speaking after the match, Williams admitted that the dressing room was heavy with disappointment and frustration.
“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,”
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad will face Atletico Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey, scheduled for April 18, 2026.