Athletic Bilbao is turning the Europa League into the Champions League this season, as Ernesto Valverde’s team is delivering performances that are truly at the level of Europe’s elite competition. The brilliant Basques are storming toward qualification for the Champions League via two paths—La Liga and the Europa League—as they demonstrated during tonight’s 2-0 victory over Fenerbahçe in Istanbul. This win solidified their position at the top of the second-most prestigious club competition in Europe. The hero of the match was the unstoppable Iñaki Williams, who scored both goals. The explosive forward, marking a decade in Bilbao’s red and white jersey this season, is playing the most mature football of his career. With tonight’s brace—highlighted by a moment of true footballing brilliance for the second goal—Williams has reached eight goals this season, just six short of his total from last season when he scored 14 across all competitions, matching his best from the 2018/2019 campaign.Iñaki Williams is simply brilliant! What a strike! 🔴⚪️ #AthleticClub @Williaaams45 pic.twitter.com/1LA5S6Vb2s— Christopher Evans (@JervisEvans) December 11, 2024 From the outset, Athletic pressed hard to exploit mistakes in the opposing defense, and a catastrophic error occurred as early as the fifth minute. Fenerbahçe’s experienced center-back Samet Akaydin played a poor back pass to Dominik Livaković. The aggressive Gorka Guruzeta seized the opportunity, driving the ball forward on a counterattack before perfectly timing his assist to Williams, who slotted the ball into an empty net. The Ghana forward needed little effort for the opener, thanks to the groundwork laid by his teammate, but he showed his quality in the 45th minute. Isolated on the right wing, he faced Fenerbahçe’s left-back Mert Müldür one-on-one. From a tight angle on the left, Williams unleashed a powerful shot into the near post, leaving Livaković stunned.Inaki Williams (30) scores his 3rd Europa League goal of the season to give Athletic Club the early 1-0 lead away from home against Fenerbahce. ⚽️🇬🇭Gorka Guruzeta (28) takes advantage of the mistake and lays it off for his 2nd Europa League assist. 🪄🇪🇸pic.twitter.com/KTFFHATYbb— LaLigaExtra (@LaLigaExtra) December 11, 2024 Müldür’s night went from bad to worse, as he was sent off in the 69th minute after receiving a second yellow card. This happened during Fenerbahçe’s most intense spell, where they seemed poised for a comeback. However, despite their pressure, Athletic Bilbao came closer to scoring another goal than Fenerbahçe did to finding their first. The early and decisive goals allowed Valverde’s side to settle into their preferred style—deadly counterattacks. Fenerbahçe appeared to have the upper hand in terms of possession but ended the match with just four shots on target, leaving Julen Agirrezabala largely untested. Yusuf En-Nesyri was ineffective throughout, and key players like Dušan Tadić, Sebastian Szymański, and Allan Saint-Maximin struggled to make an impact. The French winger managed a few dangerous runs down the left but found no clear paths to connect with his forwards. Substitutes Edin Džeko, Cengiz Ünder, and İrfan Can Kahveci, introduced by Mourinho in the last 20 minutes, also failed to change the game. Tonight’s defeat plunges Mourinho’s team into serious trouble, as they are still far from securing a spot in the knockout phase. Crucial clashes against Lyon and Midtjylland now lie ahead, where Fenerbahçe’s fate in the competition will be decided.UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – ROUND 5WednesdayFenerbahce – Athletic Bilbao 0-2 (0-2)/I. Williams 5, 45/Thursday 20.45: (1.50) Hoffenheim (4.30) FCSB (6.50)20.45: (2.95) Ludogorets (3.35) AZ Alkmaar (2.40)20.45: (3.50) Malmo (3.60) Galatasaray (2.15)20.45: (1.90) Olympiakos (3.60) Twente (4.50)20.45: (1.95) PAOK (3.50) Ferencvaros (3.90)20.45: (5.70) Plzen (4.00) Man.Utd. (1.60)20.45: (1.75) Roma (3.70) Braga (5.40)20.45: (2.15) St.Gilloise (3.50) Nice (3.70)23.00: (2.30) Ajax (3.50) Lazio (3.25)23.00: (1.85) Bodo (3.80) Besiktas (4.50)23.00: (2.60) Elfsborg (3.40) Qarabag (2.70)23.00: (1.55) Maccabi T.A. (4.00) Rigas (6.25)23.00: (2.15) Olympique Lyon (3.60) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.50)23.00: (1.32) Porto (5.30) Midtjylland (9.50)23.00: (3.40) Rangers (3.50) Tottenham (2.10)23.00: (1.57) Slavia Praha (4.30) Anderlecht (6.50)23.00: (1.27) Sociedad (5.60) Dynamo Kyiv (12.0)***odds are subject to change***
