Athletic Club forwards Nico and Inaki Williams are not giving up hope of overturning a difficult deficit against Manchester United in the Europa League. Although the Basque side trails by three goals ahead of the second leg of their semi-final clash, both players believe a comeback is possible.
San Mames had been a fortress for Athletic since August, with just one defeat prior to last week’s visit from United. Inaki came close to opening the scoring with a header from close range, but the Premier League visitors soon gained control of the match.
Casemiro found the net around the 30-minute mark to put United ahead. Soon after, a controversial incident involving Dani Vivian and Alejandro Garnacho proved to be a turning point. Vivian was shown a red card for a foul in the box, leading to a successful penalty by Bruno Fernandes, who later added a third goal before the break.
Belief in a home turnaround
Despite the unfavorable scoreline, Nico Williams remains optimistic about his team’s chances. He acknowledged their poor performance in the first leg but pointed to past results as a reason for confidence.
“We didn’t play well, but that doesn’t mean we can’t turn things around,” said Nico. “Lyon caused them problems at their ground, and we believe we can do something similar. We’ve worked hard all season to get to this stage. The support from our fans means everything, and we’ll fight to the end.”
Manchester United had a scare in their previous Europa League tie against Lyon, falling behind 4-2 at home before scoring three late goals to advance. That match has given Athletic further belief that the tie is not yet over.
Refereeing decisions raise questions
Inaki Williams also expressed frustration over some of the officiating in the first leg. He highlighted a sequence leading up to the penalty decision that he believes involved a missed handball by Garnacho.
“There were moments that could’ve been seen differently,” said Inaki. “Before the penalty, the ball touches Garnacho’s hand. Then he and Vivian challenge, and at the slightest contact, he goes down. It’s disappointing that it led to such a major call.”
Meanwhile, United suffered another setback in the Premier League, losing away to Brentford – their 16th defeat of the domestic campaign. Despite that, the English side remains unbeaten in European competition this season and has secured victories in their last five home matches in the tournament.
