Nico Williams is facing a race against time to be fit for Athletic Bilbao’s Champions League opener against Arsenal.
Williams was heavily linked to Arsenal and many other clubs during the summer transfer window, but he showed his commitment to Bilbao.
Though Mikel Arteta is an admirer of the Spanish winger, Arsenal won’t have any complaints about the players they hired instead of the 23-year-old.
In pre-season, Williams failed to impress at the Emirates Stadium when the Gunners beat Bilbao 3-0 in the Emirates Cup, but the forward might have to wait to right his wrongs.
Ernesto Valverde shares Nico Williams injury update ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Athletic Bilbao
Mikel Merino made the headlines in Spain’s win over Turkey on international duty, but the game was a contrasting one for Williams.
While the Arsenal man shone with a hat-trick, the wide player struggled and was later hooked due to injury.
After the game, a statement on Athletic Bilbao’s official website revealed that the winger had sustained a hip injury.
At the time, the injury was described to be ‘moderate’, which explained the forward’s absence in Bilbao’s defeat to Deportivo Alaves on Saturday.
Following the 1-0 derby defeat, manager Ernesto Valverde shared an update on Williams’ fitness status.
“Of course I’d like to have him back soon, but I don’t know. It will depend on how his injury progresses.”
Valverde’s update didn’t seem promising at all with regard to the fast-approaching Champions League test.
The injury has come at a dire time for the Spaniard, as Williams has a poor record against English sides, something he would’ve loved to put right against Arsenal.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 3 | 1 | 2 |
Ernesto Valverde isn’t worrying about Arsenal
Some Arsenal players are already thinking about the Bilbao clash, as are those in the Basque Country.
Speaking after their La Liga defeat to Alaves, Valverde admitted he’s not worrying about facing Arsenal, instead prioritising the league campaign.
“We don’t have to worry about Arsenal or Dortmund,” he said in his post-match press conference.
“Our primary objective is La Liga; it’s a competition that tells you how you’re doing, and we weren’t good today.”
Ally McCoist thinks Arsenal could win the Champions League, and Valverde shares that view.
“Arsenal are a contender to win the competition, but the goal today was to get the three points. They slipped away from us, and those points won’t come back.”
It’s not the preparation for the European showdown in Bilbao that Athletic Club would’ve hoped for, particularly with Williams out injured.
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