Inaki Williams: Ghana Star Arrives in Spain Ahead of Barcelona Showdown After AFCON Heartbreak

• Athletic Club star, Inaki Williams has arrived in Bilbao, Spain
• The striker left Ghana's camp after their exit from AFCON 2023
• Williams is expected to feature immediately against Barcelona

Athletic Bilbao forward, Inaki Williams, has returned to Spain in preparation for his team's Copa del Rey clash against FC Barcelona later tonight (Wednesday, January 24).

Williams, who was part of Ghana's 27-man squad at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, returned to Bilbao after his country's unexpected group-stage exit on Monday.

The 29-year-old attacker played in all three Group B games for the Black Stars, including the final match where Ghana forfeited a two-nil lead, resulting in a disappointing draw with Mozambique.

The surprising outcome left the four-time African champions in a precarious situation, relying on results from teams in the other groups to stand any chance of reaching the Round of 16.

Inaki Williams: The games Athletic Bilbao icon will miss while on AFCON duty with Ghana Black Stars

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However, Cameroon's victory against the Gambia, securing a 3-2 win, dashed Ghana's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages. With the Indomitable Lions sealing the fate of the Black Stars, Williams departed for Bilbao.

He was reportedly welcomed at the airport by Athletic Club’s Sporting Director, Mikel González. Further reports indicate that Williams' return flight to Spain was the most monitored flight globally on Flightradar24 today.

Despite his sub-par performance at the 2023 edition of AFCON, the striker, who has one goal in 16 caps for Ghana, as per Transfermarkt, is now focused on helping Athletic Bilbao secure victory against Barcelona in the upcoming Copa del Rey fixture later tonight.

Inaki Williams reveals AFCON dreams

Prior to the start of the ongoing biennial tournament in Ivory Coast, Williams revealed his aspirations for AFCON 2023, as Sports Brief previously reported.

The La Liga striker expressed his dream of helping the Black Stars of Ghana end their 42-year wait for the title while also aiming to make his family proud.

Unfortunately, his aspirations for the month-long continental competition were dashed when Ghana crashed out of the competition at the group stage.