Athletic Club set concerning objective, give Nico Williams update

Athletic Club are not having the season they imagined, following their return to the Champions League for the first time in over a decade. Ernesto Valverde’s side exited the European competition last week in extremis, but it is their domestic form that is the primary concern.

Los Leones were in need of a win to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, but as they pushed for the winner, were eliminated by a late goal from Sporting CP. On Sunday night, Athletic needed a late solo effort from Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta to salvage a point from the Basque derby, but it was only enough to leave them 11th in the table, and just two points above the drop zone. Real Sociedad, who had started 2026 just outside the relegation zone, now lie 8th, three points ahead.

Nico Williams injury drama continues

One of the causes of their issues has been the constant sports hernia injuries to Nico Williams, which has caused him to miss nearly 40% of their games, and hampered his performances too. Last week it was revealed he would be out for a further six to eight weeks in order to deal with it. He has avoided for surgery for the time being, with Sporting Director Mikel Gonzalez explaining to Cadena Cope that there were no guarantees with an operation.

“Operating is not a clear and unequivocal option, it can have negative consequences, including loss of speed and acceleration, and above all it does not guarantee 100 percent recovery. He would be out for three to six months.”

“We must recognise the player’s commitment to the club. His absolute priority is the club, even more so than the World Cup. He has conveyed this to me personally,” he told MD.

Athletic Club President aiming for survival

Meanwhile President Jon Uriarte cut a concerned figure in the same press conference. Conscious of their position in the table, he was looking down rather than up.

“Worried, angry, and hopeful,” he described his emotional state to Diario AS. “This is the toughest situation I’ve had to face at the club. We all had very high expectations when the season started, and it’s clear we’re not meeting them.”

🗒 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔

Ernesto Valverde cita a 2⃣3️⃣ jugadores para el partido de mañana (21:00h) ante el @valenciacf en Mestalla.

ℹ️ Información sobre el desplazamiento 👉 https://t.co/MAqlHae6nu#ValenciaAthletic 🏆 #AthleticClub pic.twitter.com/DukevbDs8P

— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) February 3, 2026

“Our assessment is very poor; we are very unhappy with our performance so far. [The priority is] reaching the 42 points that would guarantee survival.”

Athletic do have a chance to go on another Copa del Rey run though, with a trip to Mestalla facing them on Wednesday night. Getting past Los Che would mean a spot in the semi-finals, and Ernesto Valverde has a strong record in cup competitions, taking Los Leones to glory in 2024.