Inaki Williams secured a dramatic 2-1 victory for Athletic Bilbao over Valencia with a 96th-minute goal, propelling them into the Copa del Rey semifinals. Williams, coming on as a substitute, capitalized on a cross from his brother Nico to break the deadlock in a tense match.
Athletic Bilbao, under coach Ernesto Valverde’s guidance, made significant changes to their lineup from their previous match against Real Sociedad. Despite this, they took the lead through Umar Sadiq’s unfortunate own goal off Robert Navarro’s free kick in the 27th minute.
Valencia’s hopes were reignited when a goalkeeping blunder by Alex Padilla gifted them an equalizer, courtesy of Sadiq. However, Athletic regained control in the second half, narrowly avoiding extra time as the Williams brothers combined for a decisive goal.
“This team always shows great spirit, a quality we must preserve. Reaching the semifinals, a familiar territory for Athletic, is a significant achievement for us, and we aim to celebrate this success with our fans,” expressed coach Ernesto Valverde after the hard-fought victory.
In another quarterfinal clash, Alaves and Real Sociedad battled intensely, with Toni Martinez’s penalty goal proving crucial for Alaves. Real Sociedad, however, fought back with Goncalo Guedes equalizing before a late winner from substitute Orri Oskarsson sealed the victory.
FC Barcelona also secured a 2-1 victory against Albacete, while the upcoming clash between Real Betis and Atletico Madrid will set the stage for the semifinal draw on Friday.
