Challenges Faced by Athletic Club: Injury Concerns Ahead of Match

omidbasir- Athletic Club will compete against Oviedo without two of its international players, Nico Williams and Vivian. Williams has been excluded from the squad despite having had regular playing time in recent weeks, while Vivian remains sidelined due to a muscular injury. Williams’ absence has been a recurring topic during Coach Valverde’s press conference with Movistar prior to the match, where he remarked, “We cannot continue like this.”

The coach has been unequivocal regarding Williams’ current situation, stating, “Nico is not at 100% and is experiencing issues.” Consequently, he has decided to omit him from the lineup in hopes that he can recover in the coming days. Williams has been dealing with pubalgia since last season, a condition that has exhibited varying degrees of severity. It became particularly acute at the end of the previous campaign and intensified following his initial participation with the national team. He returned to Bilbao with a strained adductor and has struggled to maintain consistent performance since then.

Both Athletic Club and Williams have sought advice from four different specialists to explore various treatment options. Mikel González, the club’s director of football, noted prior to the team’s first semifinal Copa match against Real that there is a strategy in place regarding efforts to salvage Williams’ season. “We are continuing to explore different options. For now, we are alternating treatment and competition, and if he does not recover, we will consider taking a break for a few weeks to strengthen the affected area,” he explained.