Brothers Inaki and Nico Williams scored two goals to help Athletic Bilbao secure a 3-0 semi-final win over Atletico Madrid on Thursday February 29 making it a 4-0 aggregate victory that sent the Basque side into their third Copa de Rey final over the most recent five years.
Ernesto Valverde’s team rebuffed the visitors with clinical counter-attacks, after Inaki Williams struck in the 13th minute with a fantastic volley from his brother’s cross.
Inaki also gave back to his younger brother in the 42nd minute, setting up Nico for a basic close-range finish.
Bilbao’s Gorka Guruzeta also sealed the win for his side from a rebound in the 61st minute.
In an interview with TVE after the game, Nico Williams said:
“Our connection is real and it’s working very well, we understand each other. I’m delighted, it’s a dream to reach the final and to do it in front of our fans that were fantastic as always. Athletic can do it all and hopefully win the final.”
The Williams brothers now have 33 goal contributions for Athletic Club this season. Nico Williams-17 goal contributions Iñaki Williams-16 goals contributions.
Meanwhile, the start of the second half was delayed for more than 15 minutes as medics attended to an Athletic supporter in the stands. The fan purportedly had a heart failure and was taken out on a cot. Initial reports by Spanish media said his condition was fine and not serious.
Bilbao will now face Mallorca, who beat Real Sociedad 5-4 on penalties in the semis, in the final in Seville on April 6.
Athletic Club are the second best club in the Copa with 23 titles, eight not as much as Barcelona. They last won the competition in 1984, but were runners-up in 2019-20 and in 2021-21, losing to Sociedad and afterward Barcelona.
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