Winger has been central to Athletic’s strong start in La Liga, scoring once and assisting twice as the club won all three league games so far
Athletic Club winger Nico Williams is facing a race against time to be fit for next week’s Champions League meeting with Arsenal after suffering a thigh injury while on international duty with Spain.
The 23-year-old assisted the opening goal in Spain’s 6-0 win over Turkey on Sunday, but was withdrawn just before half-time after signalling discomfort in his left leg. Tests carried out in Bilbao on Monday confirmed a moderate adductor problem.
Williams will miss Athletic’s return to league action against Alaves this weekend and remains a major doubt for Tuesday’s group-stage opener against Arsenal at San Mames.
The winger has been central to Athletic’s strong start in La Liga, scoring once and assisting twice as the club won all three league games so far this season. His form has carried over from an impressive campaign last season which saw him attract interest from Barcelona.
A move to Catalonia collapsed due to the club’s player registration issues and disagreement over a contract clause allowing Nico to leave should they fail to register him. After the deal fell through, the forward committed his future to Athletic with a long-term deal running until 2035.
