Liverpool missed out on bringing Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki Williams to the Premier League in January and he shone against Real Madrid in La Liga on Wednesday.
‘If only Inaki Williams could finish’.
Anyone who has been watching Athletic Bilbao on a semi-regular basis over the last few seasons will recognise that sentence immediately. Because, for all of Inaki Williams’ natural talents, that deadly clinical touch always appeared to elude him once he had sprinted away from defenders and found himself one-on-one.
But the 23-year-old striker made a mockery of those criticisms at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
14 minutes in against Real Madrid, Williams was released in behind Los Blancos’ defence and, rather than firing straight at Keylor Navas or wildly into the stands, the Bilbao front man lofted a sublime chip into the far corner of the net.
Cristiano Ronaldo notched late on to secure a 1-1 draw and dampen the Basque giants’ mood somewhat but, thanks to Williams, they could celebrate a first point at the Bernabeu in 12 years.
So no wonder the Liverpool fans watching on have taken the chance to once again clamour for the one-time Spain international to make the move to Anfield this summer.
Unfortunately, Williams has recently signed a new deal with a £96 million release clause. But more displays like that away to Madrid will not make the fee look quite so eye-watering.
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