Nico Williams’ jump to Athletic

Nico Williams He made big strides in his second full season in the Athletic first team, third counting the two games he played under the command Marcelino in the 2020-21 campaign, his debut. The winger is the only Lion to break the 3,000-minute barrier between League and Cup. He did it on Saturday against Villarreal in a game that ended in the worst possible way, with a resounding victory (5-1). At the Estadio de la Cerámica he reached 2,490 in the regularity tournament, to which must be added the 529 he played in KO until the lions were eliminated by Osasuna in the semifinal tie after a 1-0 draw at El Sadar and the 1- 1 of San Mamés.

The ’11’ has become an irreplaceable man for Ernesto Valverde. So he played 33 out of 34 league games, 29 of them starts. Only lost one, against Girona in Bilbao, due to a sprained right knee that initially looked like he would get more time. He reappeared in the next game, the first leg against Rojillos, leaving in the second period to be substituted iker muniain.

The youngest of the legend played in the first part of the season on the right wing of the attack, with Berenguer on the other side, his brother above and behind the interior trivote formed by Mikel Vesga as a defensive midfielder and sancet and the captain a few meters ahead. Now Valverde He changed his technique a bit and the selection of footballers. He plays as a left winger, Iñaki on the right, Mendillori’s midfielder and Gorka Guruzeta as a more advanced person. In any case, it becomes a fixture in either of the two systems.

Nico He made his debut as a lion on April 28, 2021 against Real Valladolid in San Mamés (2-2). That campaign he played only one more game, against Sevilla at Sánchez Pizjuán, but the following time he became a regular footballer for the Asturian coach. He played 34 league games, 11 of them starts, 4 in the Cup and two in the Super Cup against Atlético and Real Madrid for a total of 1,635 minutes, 1,326 in the first competition, 245 in the second and 64 in the third. Now this figure is close to being doubled with four games left to finish the season, against Celta (this Saturday) and Elche (Sunday, May 28) at home and against Osasuna (Thursday, May 25) and Real Madrid (Sunday, June 4) at home.

Nico His contract expires on June 30 of next year along with nine other rojiblancos: Yuri Berchiche, Daniel Garcia, Mikel Vesga, holy, Berenguer, black pudding, nolaskain, Ander Herrera and Gorka Guruzeta, though the latter has a more optional season. No one has escaped that the renewal of ’11’ is a major step to bring together the Athletic of the future once the continuation of oihan sancet until 2032.

Two other lions are close to breaking the 3,000-minute barrier after nine months of competition. Is about Oscar de Marcos and Mikel Vesga, two footballers who are also important for Txingurri. The Laguardia full-back accumulates 2,978 (2,460 + 518) and the midfielder from Gasteiz, 2,959 (2,312 + 647). The fourth in the ranking is Inaki Williams with 2,899. The ‘9’ has missed just two games due to a muscle injury which has prevented him from going on a streak of consecutive League games which started on 20 April 2016, a record that would be very difficult for any field footballer to beat. Yes, Yuri Berchiche, sancet, They lived, first simon, Berenguer and holy They completed this particular eleven in a few minutes of the 2022-23 season.