Barça Spared from Nico Williams’ Absence

The upcoming clash between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés on Sunday carries less weight for the Blaugrana, as Athletic’s striker Nico Williams faces suspension following a contentious decision in their recent match against Betis.

As the first half was winding down in the Betis-Athletic encounter, referee Cuadra Fernández made a decisive call that left the visitors with ten men on the field. At the 40th minute, amid a controversial sequence, Nico Williams collided with Fekir, prompting the referee to award a foul and issue a yellow card to the Basque forward. The Athletic camp voiced their complaints, arguing that the foul was marginal, and contested the subsequent yellow card for Williams.

The player expressed his dissent without aggression, resorting to ironic applause for the referee’s decision. However, Fernández swiftly reached for his pocket, brandishing a second yellow card that resulted in Williams’ dismissal. The severity of the punishment appeared disproportionate for an incident that could have been resolved by simply awarding a free-kick for Williams’ foul on Fekir.

This red card, due to a second yellow for Nico, poses a significant setback for Valverde’s squad, losing one of their attacking mainstays for the upcoming clash against Barcelona on Sunday at 9 PM. Williams’ absence will be felt keenly in a crucial fixture for both teams.

The misfortune continued for Athletic Bilbao as Yuri Berchiche, a key figure in defense, had to be substituted due to discomfort in the posterior part of his right thigh. Berchiche’s departure, coupled with Nico Williams’ suspension, compounds Valverde’s challenges as they approach a decisive period with the return leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Atlético on Thursday.