Iñaki Williams
Iñaki Williams: "Maybe the words weren't right, but I don't regret it."
"Having seen it, being natural and saying things as you think... you have to be a little careful many times, but it is true that it is annoying for our fans. Perhaps the forms were not right, but it is probably like playing out of the house tomorrow because we will not have many followers," regrets the red-white striker. Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde, however, has again been more pragmatic. "We are happy here," he said.
Athletic landed in Saudi Arabia after about six hours of flight
Ernesto Valverde's Athletic arrived at around 22:50 and went straight to the Park Hyatt Hotel, where the organizers have received players. This Tuesday, Athletic will train at 18:00 (Basque time) at the King Abdullah Stadium, following the press conference that Iñaki Williams and Ernesto Valverde will offer from 17:15.
Athletic leaves for Saudi Arabia without Yuri Berchiche and Aymeric Laporte
The red-white team held their last working session in Lezama this morning, and after arriving in Saudi Arabia, the bilbaine team will be staying at the Hyatt Jeddah Hotel.
Athletic will look for his fourth Supercup in Saudi Arabia without Yuri and Laporte
Wednesday will be the twelfth game of the red-whites in that tournament. In addition, Valverde has a chance to win his third Supercup, a match with coaches Cruyff and Guardiola.
Ernesto Valverde: "I don't know what Iñaki invented."
Last Tuesday, after Iñaki Williams trained in San Mamés, he said to the media, "Playing in Arabia is bullshit." Today, at a press conference, Valverde expressed his opinion on these statements and made it clear that going to Arabia is prestigious and that they must be very careful about the statements they make.
Athletic has worked in front of more than 30,000 fans in San Mamés
Fans, mostly families, have been in the stands of San Mamés since an hour before the start of the training. The wait has been threatened with music by the red-white club. The footballers have been greeted with a warm ovation by fans as they jumped onto the lawn on schedule.
Iñaki Williams, about the Supercup: "I've said it a lot, playing in Arabia is shit."
"Moving the tournament to another country is not easy for fans. We seem to be playing out of the house there, and if we were here we would have a lot of followers next to us," the Athletic captain added.
Athletic crashed into Espanyol and ended the year with a defeat in San Mamés (1-2)
Berenguer overtook the red-whites in the first half, but before the break Romero tied the match. Back from the locker room, Milla made the second for the Catalans, and the lions couldn't answer.
Jauregizar rescued Athletic in the extension, in the mud of the O Couto football field (0-1)
In the second half Guruzeta sent a ball to the larghill on the clearest occasion of the first 90 minutes.
Athletic defends itself beautifully and picks up a point against Europe's champion (0-0)
A spectacular Unai Simon stopped the PSG in San Mamés, allowing the red-white team to get a point of merit.
Athletic will seek to continue with options in San Mamés against the current European champion PSG
With four points in five days and two points from the 24th place that gives the ticket to the sixteen final, Ernesto Valverde's team does not want to give up and wants to stay alive for the last two days.
Iñaki Williams has trained with his teammates two days before the match against Atlético de Madrid
Athletic has trained in Lezama today, the best news of the training has been the return of Iñaki Williams, who has trained with the team for the first time since he suffered his injury to Qarabag.
Valverde: "It's a nice week to enjoy and compete."
The red-white coach has confirmed the casualties of Iñaki Williams and Robert Navarro. Valverde hopes to play both again "before Christmas". He also said he has "some doubt" about Mikel Vesga's physical condition.