Iñaki Williams and Unai Simón explain Athletic Club's media blackout against the board

The Athletic Club dressing room ended on Sunday the media silence it had started on Thursday at Camp Nou. After beating Celta Vigo in Balaídos, Unai Simón and Iñaki Williams stopped to speak with journalists who had travelled from Bilbao and offered their view of an internal dispute that has dominated the club's agenda in recent days, even more than the need to pick up points in LaLiga.

• Unai Simón apologised for the Camp Nou silence and described it as a signal aimed at the board and the president.
• Iñaki Williams said the ticket issue is the least important part and that there are more demands on the table.
• The squad says its relationship with the board remains good, but small issues have piled up since previous seasons.
• The captains have already spoken with Jon Uriarte and a meeting with the board is pending.
• Both players agreed the best solution is to sort everything out internally.

What happened between the Athletic squad and the board

On Thursday, before the match against Barcelona, the players decided not to speak to the press. That gesture broke the team's usual routine and set off alarm bells. On Sunday, with three points secured after beating Celta, Unai Simón admitted the decision was a tool to send a signal to the board and the president.

First of all, I want to apologise. It was a tool to send a signal to the board and the president. We wanted to meet before the Barça match.

Unai Simón apologises and calls for calm

The international goalkeeper was the first to speak. He admitted he understands why the focus has been placed on the removal of match ticket invitations, because the squad itself opened the door to that, but he insisted the background is much broader. He pointed to small issues that have accumulated since previous seasons, affecting club workers and the women's team as well.

Simón defended that the relationship with the board is still good and that the best way to resolve the disagreement is to discuss everything internally. He did not want to reveal the date of the meeting with the president, although he took it for granted that it will happen in the coming days.

Iñaki Williams defends the squad's blackout

The captain spoke next and defended the timing of the gesture. He explained that the squad joined a wider protest, one shared by all club workers, and that the priority is to protect Athletic Club. He also confirmed that Jon Uriarte has already contacted the captains and that a meeting with the board has been arranged for the coming days.

This is not a childish tantrum. They are small problems with an easy solution. We felt it was the right time to take a stand.

Williams made clear that the ticket allocation is a minor issue within a broader sense of frustration. He rejected the idea that the protest is about money and stressed that the players are willing to pay for those tickets. The underlying message, he insisted, is that there are internal matters that have gone unresolved for too long.

What is at stake for Athletic after the win at Balaídos

The victory against Celta came at a key moment for the team. Athletic is fighting to secure its place in European competitions and every point counts in the final stretch of the season. That is why Simón acknowledged how important it was to pick up the three points in Vigo, just after a week dominated by institutional noise.

The pending meeting with Jon Uriarte

The next step in the dispute will take place behind closed doors. The captains have already spoken with the president and both sides have agreed to sit down in the coming days. Unai Simón avoided giving a specific date, but the squad's intention is to resolve the matter internally, away from the spotlight.

• The squad will meet with the board in the coming days.
• Jon Uriarte has already spoken with the captains.
• Unai Simón did not want to reveal the date of the meeting.

Frequently asked questions about the Athletic dispute