Our prediction for this Europa League match:
After surviving Real Sociedad in the Basque derby, Athletic Bilbao will look to give fans yet another reason to celebrate when they face Elfsborg in the Europa League round 5. The Lions are a real force to be reckoned with at home and seeing that pacey winger Inaki Williams has overcome his injury, home win should definitely be considered. Ernesto Valverde should have a full squad to choose from for Thursday’s showdown.
The Swedes, on the other hand, have been having their ups and downs in the new Europa League campaign. Elfsborg played out a 1-1 draw with Braga in their last Europa League game, but they will have a much bigger fish to fry against Athletic Club, who have turned their “San Mames” into a real fortress. The 2024 Allsvenskan campaign finished 20 days ago, which is yet another reason why home win should be considered.
Highlighted Player (Iñaki Williams):
Inaki Williams is one of the most talented Spanish players. The pacey winger, who plays as a centre-forward as well, started his senior career at Basconia, scoring seven goals in 18 appearances for the club. In 2014 he moved to Athletic Bilbao, but he played for the reserve team at the beginning.
Inaki impressed in the 2014/2015 season with Athletic Bilbao B and, as a result, he was given a chance to prove his worth in the Spanish top flight with the first team. The Spanish footballer made his La liga debut on December 6, 2014, replacing injured attacker Aritz Aduriz in a 1-0 loss to Cordoba.
Inaki Williams represented Spain at the 2017 U21 European Championship in Poland and he played 20 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Germany in the final of the tournament. Speaking of the senior squad, the Athletic Bilbao footballer made his Spain debut in a 3-1 victory over Bosnia on May 29, 2016. Inaki Williams was born in Bilbao on June 15, 1994.