Nico Williams arrives in Barcelona… with the Athletic shirt
The winger will be welcomed by the Blaugrana fans after his summer soap opera.
Today, August 24, 6:00 pm Nigerian time. Barcelona welcomes Athletic Club de Bilbao to Montjuic for the second matchday of La Liga 2024-25.
In the squad that Ernesto Valverde put together is Nico Williams. He is the star of the Basques. According to market rumours, Nico Williams was in talks to wear the Barça shirt.
He will probably be greeted with whistles, but the important thing is to understand why he did not leave Athletic Club.
Last Season
The 2022/23 season was Nico Williams’ first as a regular starter for Athletic Club, while the 2023/24 season was his breakthrough.
In LaLiga, where the Basques finished in fifth place, he made 29 starts, scoring five goals and providing 14 assists in 2,282 minutes. The six games he missed were due to injuries and suspension: four due to discomfort in the adductor muscle, one due to a hamstring injury and one due to the limit of cards.
If he was key in the league, he was even more so in the Copa del Rey. Valverde’s men would win the title after four decades and Nico had his impressive numbers.
Although he missed the first round against Rubi and the first leg of the semi-final against Atlético de Madrid, he was part of the squad for the other six games. He started four of them and came on as a substitute in two. He scored three goals and gave five assists in 447 minutes.
Particularly memorable is the quarter-final against Barcelona at San Mamés, where Nico assisted Sancet and sealed the 4-2 with a great finish. Also the return leg of the semi-final against Atleti where he assisted his brother for the 1-0 and Iñaki assisted him for the 2-0.
Euro 2024
If the 2023/24 season with Athletic Club already catapulted him as one of the continent’s top offensive talents, his performance at Euro 2024 took him to the next level of popularity.
Luis de la Fuente gave him the necessary confidence, and Nico started in all the matches except the third group game against Albania, just so he could have a well-deserved rest. He was a star against Italy and Georgia, best player in the final with a goal and part of a charismatic duo with Lamine Yamal. Everything was in place for the rumours with the Blaugrana club to be eternal.
