When it seemed the dark clouds were clearing over San Mamés, with European qualification within reach, an ill-fated afternoon against Valencia saw three points slip away to Mestalla thanks to Sadiq. Worse still, Athletic Club’s two star players, Sancet and Nico Williams, both fell in battle with painful hamstring injuries.
In the 34th minute, San Mamés fell silent. Nico Williams collapsed on the halfway line, clutching his leg, and was substituted two minutes later by his brother Iñaki. The younger Williams, just one month away from the final World Cup squad announcement for the United States and with three league games left for Athletic, now faces an uncertain fitness battle. He grabbed his thigh with pained expressions, muttering to the sky: “It can’t be, it can’t be.”
Sancet left the pitch with less drama but equal impact, having returned to the starting lineup after being benched by Valverde for the previous three matches and scoring a brilliant goal in Mendizorroza. Without both players — even though Sancet has not had his best season — there is no paradise for Athletic in this final stretch of the championship, especially after the infirmary had finally emptied.
Iñaki Williams commented somberly on his brother’s injury: “It’s a shame. He was frustrated and I didn’t want to talk much. He was feeling good, and we’ll have to wait until tomorrow (today) to know the extent of the injury. Nico had never felt that pain before,” he said, raising alarms in a match where Laporte was substituted at halftime due to a yellow card, and Yuri Berchiche limped noticeably in stoppage time.
Ernesto Valverde echoed those concerns, with problems mounting just three days before facing RCD Espanyol at Cornellà: “Nico has a hamstring issue. We’ll see, it’s difficult. Difficult for us, and we’ll assess the extent of the injury tomorrow.” Regarding Sancet, the Athletic boss explained that the attacking midfielder also left “with a hamstring discomfort,” adding that “sometimes being dropped helps you reflect.”
Mikel Jauregizar added: “We know how important Nico is to us. He felt something in his hamstring. Hopefully it’s nothing serious.”
Athletic Club | RCD Espanyol | Valencia CF | Oihan Sancet | Nico Williams | Yuri Berchiche
