Williams (Bilbao, 26 years old) was the hero of the recent Super Cup, with a goal against Barcelona in extra time of the La Cartuja final. He is on his way to five years without missing a league game and aspires to dig its claws into the eternal rival. The forward is the most Athletic media. His speed is a serious threat to La Real.
One year with this final. So much waiting has been made very long.
It has been hard, because in the end we have not achieved what we all wanted to fill La Cartuja.
A historic final, a Basque derby that has never been seen at this level.
That's it. We postpone and postpone, but in the end it has not been possible. It is sad that there is no one in the stands, but apart from that, we have to feel proud of where we are and what we are achieving, of the history that we can do. Let's try to put the icing on the cake.
In the last renovations, he always said that his greatest illusion was to win a title. He has the Super Cup, but he was referring to this, to a bigger one. Did you think you would reach this stage, at age 26?
The truth is, no. Many times I think about it: great players who have passed through the club in its history have not been lucky enough to win or reach the finals and I feel fortunate this year to be able to become part of history with a champion team and that we are remembered for what we have accomplished.
Are you looking forward to the game?
Yes a lot. We must all have a cool head, a slow heart, because it is going to be a game of many emotions and we must not be afraid of failing. But error is part of football.
The triplet would already be the maximum.
Obviously. We are aware of what we can achieve, that we can roll it very fat. We already did it in the Super Cup. We did not enter into the bets of many people and we succeeded. Now we can add another two titles. That idea of making history haunts our minds and it doesn't come out 24 hours a day. We are aware of what we can do and it would be an achievement for all of Bilbao and all the Athletic fans. In January I got the Super Cup tattooed on me and I have left a hole for the Cup.
Everything has come with a lot of agony, with extra time, penalty shootouts … If they tell you that you win the derby with a penalty, would your heart hold out?
I wish! We come from a curious, agonizing playoffs. We have known how to suffer, that Athletic warrior DNA has come out. You cannot give up the lion for dead, he gets up, you have to kill him. If they give us hope, we cling to them. We know how to play these types of games well, we have players with a lot of experience in these types of events who will help us. The coach is reassuring us, it is a game and that is how we should treat it, as one more game. It can make us go down in history, yes, but we don't have to go crazy.
He already scored a historic goal in the Super Cup.
Yes… I've seen it a few times and I dream every day of repeating it. But as if it belongs to any other teammate or at the opponent's own door. It is also valid. The triplet would make us remembered as a super team.
Marcelino the other day against Eibar ended up pissed off. He wanted to put their ears upright these days until the end.
The coach knows the capacity we have and the great players in the squad. An error in First is paid dearly. That he squeezes us is good, he asks us based on the potential he sees in the team. We must correct those mistakes that we cannot have in the final.
With Marcelino's system his speed looks better.
The coach has given me a lot of confidence, he talks to me a lot and wants to make me improve.
A lot is required of you because you see great potential.
I drop a stick, but it is something common in football. I understand that criticism comes because people demand me and because I have the conditions to be better. I accept those that are constructive, all those that are to improve, welcome. If they are from respect, I assume it, to learn and improve.
Would you be more excited to lift the Cup against Real than against Barça because of all the rivalry that exists?
They both make me excited. I want both. I don't think about anything else. I consider myself a fighting person, who always wants to win. I am aware that I am Athletic's '9', and I understand that both the team and the fans are asking me for goals. I go home really fucked up when things haven't gone well. I'm not conformist. We can win both. It will be complicated because we have great rivals in front of us, but we are Athletic. We want to go down in history and we will transfer that ambition to the field. There is the ability to win both.
Look, if they lose they will have to make the corridor to the Real on the 7th in Anoeta …
That is part of the game. No problem. You have to know how to win and lose. It's part of the game. Out of respect, it would be necessary to make a corridor. I do not have any problem. You have to be humble and know where you come from.
He would be glad if he didn't play …
I want everyone to play. They have great players and an absence could take its toll on them. Anyone who has it can make things difficult for us. But let everyone be there, if we win they won't be able to make any excuses. If we win everyone they have, we are going to feel very proud and that is what I want, that the kids go to the ikastola the next day, very proud of being Athletic.
At the moment the record for consecutive games in the League is parked. It takes 185, seven from Larrañaga. The iron Man.
It is not easy what I am doing, that I have happened with five different coaches, that everyone has trusted me, that they have respected my injuries, that they do not draw cards and I have always been available, with more or less success, many times playing aching, limping, but always trying to give one hundred percent… it's a very nice record. I hope I can do it, but you have to go step by step. I have come this far for being a worker and for sacrifice and nothing gets me out of the way.