According to Spanish media reports, Athletic Club Bilbao have expressed their strong displeasure with Barcelona’s actions surrounding Nico Williams this summer. As a direct response, they have decided to decline Barcelona’s official pre-match dinner invitation, a protest against Laporta and his management team.
Nico Williams shone at the European Championship, not only helping the Spanish national team to victory but also making a name for himself in European football, attracting the attention of numerous top clubs, including Barcelona. However, despite their own financial difficulties, Barcelona still attempted to leverage public pressure to push through a transfer for Nico Williams. Laporta and his team frequently mentioned the young player in public, even going so far as to pressure Nico himself to join Barcelona.
Although Nico Williams was open to joining Barcelona, he personally believed that it was not the right time for a transfer. Barcelona’s continued pressure eventually led to strong dissatisfaction from Athletic Club, who felt extremely offended by Barcelona’s “two-faced” behavior. With the transfer window drawing nearer, unless a dramatic turn of events occurs, Nico Williams is expected to remain at Athletic Club, fighting alongside his brother and facing the challenges of the new season.
Athletic Club coach Valverde has also expressed his displeasure over the matter, stating that the issue has become tiresome and he hopes to quell the storm as soon as possible. The club believes that Barcelona’s actions violate an unwritten rule in football – discussing other clubs’ players in public. As a result, relations between the two clubs have reached a freezing point, with a tense atmosphere pervading.
To express their dissatisfaction with this handling of the situation, Athletic Club firmly rejected Barcelona’s pre-match dinner invitation. Even when high-ranking officials from both clubs met briefly during the match, it was only out of courtesy, without any substantial communication or friendly interaction. This scenario is more of a formality, a way of maintaining appearances, rather than a genuine reconciliation.
As things stand, Nico Williams will continue to wear the Athletic Club jersey and compete on the pitch, while the relationship between the two clubs has been tarnished by this transfer saga. Whether there will be a change in the future remains to be seen. For now, however, Athletic Club has made its position clear, rejecting any opportunity to ease tensions between the two clubs.
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