The new landscape for Iñaki Williams | OneFootball

Iñaki Williams starts his second season as Athletic captain aiming to rediscover top form under Edin Terzic. He cut short his break to report at Lezama on 6 July, despite Ghana’s World Cup ending 1-0 to Colombia.

According to El Correo, the armband weighed heavy amid a Champions League, Copa del Rey and La Liga slog, noise around Nico’s pubalgia and niggles. He was seen chatting with Terzic on day one.

For a decade he was a constant, leading Athletic’s minutes in seven seasons and setting 251 consecutive league games, but last year injuries bit, limiting him to 2,186 minutes. After Villarreal he admitted the forwards had to offer more.

Terzic told him before the World Cup he wanted his captain to take charge. Competition is fierce, with Guruzeta, Robert Navarro, Nico Serrano and possibly Djaló, and though his best work is on the right, versatility counts.

Pre-season offered clues at Burgos. Off the bench he stretched the game and scored from a Ruiz de Galarreta pass, roaming between centre, wide areas and the pocket.

Now on 510 games, 37,512 minutes and 115 goals, with seven seasons of 10 or more, his legacy is assured, but Lezama demands proof daily. He has returned early to show a new staff that, even as the years ask for tactical smarts, his hunger endures. San Mamés is primed, with Sevilla’s opener sold out for Saturday 22 August at 17.00, only VIP seats left, and Atlético due at 16.15 on Saturday 5 September.

Source: El Correo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”