Nico Williams' ordeal

BarcelonaWhat was expected to be a season of consolidation for Athletic Club has turned into an obstacle course. At Mestalla, the Basque side had to sweat until the last minute to secure their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals against Valencia (1-2). The initial optimism has faded as the weeks have gone by. Ernesto Valverde's team is hanging by a thread this season. They are just three points above the relegation zone and were recently eliminated from the Champions League, in a sporting context far more fragile than expected. One of the key figures in this defeat is Nico Williams, who has been plagued by injuries.

After another summer linked to Barça, the Navarrese winger, who renewed his contract as athleticzale At a star price tag, he has once again suffered problems stemming from the pubalgia that has plagued him for months. He continues to manage recurring discomfort, and at this point, his true physical condition and where he stands in the recovery process are unknown. He has already been forced to watch nine matches from the stands this season. In Bilbao, concern continues to grow as doubt about Nico's condition hangs over the Cathedral. He isn't a starter because he can't be, but at the same time, he refuses to stop carrying the load. In this context, the biggest beneficiary, paradoxically, is Barça, who insisted on signing Williams for the second consecutive year. Joan Laporta wanted to reunite him with Lamine Yamal and was prepared to pay the €62 million release clause. Finally, the player, who had requested registration guarantees to finalize the agreement, decided to stay at Athletic Bilbao, who renewed his contract until 2035 with a net salary of 7 million euros per season, a figure that can increase with bonuses and variables to around 9 or 10 million euros net annually, making him the highest-paid player. In retrospect, Barça has saved itself a headache with Williams, who this season has only played four full official matches and has only four goals and three assists. These are modest numbers, and his physical condition isn't great. However, he is reluctant to step aside to recover from pubalgia, which, in the worst cases, could require surgery. Right now, he prefers to play through the pain rather than risk missing this summer's World Cup, a tournament where he sees himself as a starter on the opposite wing from Lamine Yamal. On this thorny path, he has also suffered another blow: the vandalism of the mural he created with his brother in Barakaldo.

The €62 million that Barça didn't spend on Athletic Bilbao was redistributed much more intelligently to strengthen several positions in the first team squad. Laporta and Deco invested €25 million in Joan Garcia, secured the loan of Marcus Rashford, and completed the operation with the future prospect Roony Bardghji, signed for just €2.5 million. Three different profiles, three needs met, and an overall investment that, judging by their performance halfway through the season, seems much more balanced than making a single high-risk signing.

Nico's Swedish shadow

We must pause to consider Bardghji. Forced to seek alternatives after Williams's rejection, Barça found some solace in the young Swedish striker, acquired as part of a low-risk financial operation. Roony's statistics, compared to those of his counterpart at Athletic Bilbao, are remarkable. He has accumulated 2 goals and 4 assists, but in only 490 minutes (259 in La Liga, 84 in the Champions League, 75 in the Copa del Rey, and 72 in the Supercopa). Williams's figures, four goals and three assists, must be spread across 1,618 minutes of play. A poor performance for a player expected to make a difference, lead his team's attack, and justify a top-tier investment. The comparison becomes even more striking when considering the role, cost, and expectations of each player. While Nico continues to struggle to find physical consistency and Athletic looks at the calendar with concern, Barça, leader of the League and alive in all competitions, observes from a distance with the clear feeling of having dodged a bullet.