The soap opera Nico Williams once again ignited the spirits at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. The Athletic Club winger, who for the second consecutive summer decided not to sign for FC Barcelona, was greeted with loud jeers from the warm-up until the moment he left the field. The Blaugrana fans did not forget the failed negotiations and expressed their discontent clearly throughout the match. Barcelona fans still angry with Nico Williams Lamine Yamal slammed after fans accuse him of faking an Olympic goal As soon as Nico Williams went to warm up, the Blaugrana fans began to whistle. The discontent became even more evident when the speaker announced the line-ups: the name of the Spanish international was accompanied by a loud booing that was repeated with every ball he touched. The crowd did not distinguish between the right or left flank; the winger was booed relentlessly. There were even moments of mockery from the stands. When he missed a clear chance, the stadium ironically chanted: "Nico stay, Nico stay..." The tension remained until his substitution in the 55th minute, which again was met with loud jeers. Barcelona lament another missed opportunity with Nico Williams This chapter has its origins in the last summer market. Everything pointed to Nico Williams wearing the Barcelona jersey after weeks of negotiations, in a context very similar to that experienced in 2024. However, the Catalan club's problems in guaranteeing his registration halted the operation and the player chose to stay at San Mames. Shortly afterwards, Athletic Club officially announced his renewal, a blow to Barcelona's sporting planning, as the winger had been one of their market priorities. The decision also went down badly with the fans, who had already imagined the Spanish international as part of the future project. Athletic Club secures the continuity of its star For Athletic, however, the renewal was welcome news. The club managed to secure one of its most important players and sent a message of sporting stability in the midst of constant interest from big European clubs. Nico Williams, who has been growing season after season, is considered a key part of Ernesto Valverde's project. The rejection of Barcelona fueled the rivalry even more and left an open wound for the Catalan fans, who showed it without hesitation in the most recent duel. An atmosphere that promises to be repeated in the future The tension between Nico Williams and the Camp Nou crowd seems far from cooling down. Every visit of Athletic Club promises a hostile atmosphere for the attacker, whose name will remain linked to one of the great summer soap operas of Spanish football.
