After a 1-0 win away from home in the first leg, Athletic Bilbao made a strong statement against Atletico Madrid in the reverse fixture, defeating them 3-0. The team from the Spanish capital reached the semifinals after beating Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. The majority of fans expected them to reach the finals and possibly lift the cup, but it turned out to be ugly. Bilbao beat Atletico in both legs, without conceding a single goal. The team, which is currently fifth in the league will look for their first silverware since lifting the Spanish Super Cup in the 2020/21 season.
Evergreen Inaki Williams Opened For Athletic Bilbao
The omnipresent Inaki Williams opened the scoring for Bilbao in the 13th minute as the entire San Mames erupted with joy. His goal gave Athletic Club a 2-0 lead in aggregate, courtesy of winning the first leg 1-0. His right foot shot at the top of the corner gave his team the lead. This provided the home team the cushion they needed for the second leg.
The 29-year-old is in his 11th season with the club and has been rock solid ever since. When they face Mallorca next, the team will bank on him to provide a winning goal in the final.
Nico Williams, Gorka Guruzeta Add To Athletic’s Glory
Nico Williams was the provider for the first goal that Williams scored. However, he contributed to the team’s success by scoring the second goal. His left-foot shot from a close range in the bottom corner assisted by Inaki, put the team 3-0 on aggregate.
To add more salt to the wound, Guruzeta killed the game with a shot from the middle of the box in the 61st minute. Bilbao started leading 3-0 with a 4-0 aggregate score, giving no chance to Atletico of making a comeback.
Also Read: Paul Pogba Banned for Four Years After Failing Doping Test
There was no major concern with Atletico’s setup going into the second leg of the semi-final. However, Antoine Griezman was missing from the lineup which could be one of the reasons why the team lost. Nevertheless, they dominated the possession at 61%, with seven shots on target from 16 attempts. Their lack of efficiency in front of the goal did not help them cross the line this time. Moreover, Bilbao’s defense stood strong as they came out of the game with a clean sheet.
Atletico Madrid has now the opportunity to focus on the domestic league and the Champions League after getting knocked out of the Copa Del Rey. They are currently fourth in the league and have a second leg against Inter remaining at home, where they are 0-1 down on aggregate.