Nico Williams has a set date for his return

98

Nico Williams
6.790.000€    6

J1

DL

24

Nico Williams is making progress in his recovery from pubalgia which has kept him out since February 11. According to the schedule managed by the club, Ernesto Valverde could have him back in about two weeks: if he doesn't make it in time for the match against Betis, the goal is for him to be available for the game against Getafe, already after the March international break.

The process has been supported by abdominal reinforcement under the supervision of the external specialist Jurdan Mendiguchia, whom the club turned to after months in which the player competed with intermittent pain. It was not a new problem: since the start of the season he had been struggling with pubic discomfort and had to stop at the beginning of the campaign, missing six matches (four in LaLiga and two in the Champions League) with Athletic Club.

Conservative treatment

The medical decision was to avoid surgery. Athletic considered options, but the consensus leans towards not operating on these types of injuries in explosive players, due to the risk of losing speed and acceleration. Furthermore, surgery does not guarantee a full recovery and could sideline the player for three to six months. That is why the conservative route was chosen: rest, physiotherapy, and specific strengthening.

Sports director Mikel González has already verbalized this line of work: “We continue working on different options and, if he doesn’t recover, we will consider stopping for a few weeks to focus on abdominal reinforcement treatment.” That pause, in fact, is currently being implemented.

The winger’s progress is also being monitored outside of Bilbao. Luis de la Fuente is keeping an eye on his physical condition, with Nico settled as an important piece of the Spanish national team’s attack: he has 30 international caps and 6 goals, and was one of the standout names at the 2024 Euro Cup. If the conservative treatment does not work and surgery is ultimately required, the recovery would take between two and four months, a scenario that would adjust the timeline ahead of the 2026 North American World Cup, which starts in June. For now, the March international break appears to be the ideal window to complete his conditioning without rush or risk.

Player fantasy stats

Nico Williams has accumulated 4 goals and 2 assists in his 19 matches played so far. On Comunio he has a market value of €6,790,000 and has scored 98 points, averaging 5.2 points per game. On other fantasy platforms his numbers are similar, for example, 90 points on Biwenger or 121 points on LaLiga Fantasy DAZN.