Overview
- Coach Ernesto Valverde said he spoke with Williams and then cautioned publicly that players must be careful with their expressions.
- Williams apologized for the crude term he used but stood by his view that moving the competition outside Spain shuts out Athletic’s large supporter base.
- He added that playing in Saudi Arabia feels like an away match and said his stance is about defending the club’s and fans’ interests.
- Valverde described taking part in the Supercopa as prestigious yet acknowledged they would have more options in a different format with their public, which the team accepts.
- Speaking from Jeddah before facing Barcelona, Athletic presented themselves as underdogs who could spring a surprise, noting prior Supercopa successes.