"This time it was personal" - Nico Williams makes feelings clear about Barcelona fans booing him during La Liga clash this season
Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams has made his feelings clear after Barcelona fans booed him during their La Liga clash recently. The Spaniard admitted that he was shocked by the development but insists that it isn't a big deal.
Recall that Nico Williams was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona during the summer transfer window after shining alongside Lamine Yamal in Spain's attack en route to their Euro 2024 triumph in July. The attacker eventually snubbed the chance to join the Catalan giants to stay put at San Mames.
The Blaugrana faithful were left disappointed with the player's decision and decided to show it by whistling at him when the two clubs clashed in La Liga back in August. Hansi Flick's men won the match at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys 2-1.
Reflecting on the episode during a recent interview with El Mundo, Williams opened up on his feelings about the harsh reception he received from Barcelona fans.
“I was surprised, I’m not going to lie. But I didn’t give it much importance because when you go to a rival’s field it’s normal for people to whistle at you, but this time it was personal,” he said.
“It’s not a big deal, I think that’s also fun as long as it’s not insulting. Being whistled at is the essence of football and I take it pretty well," he added.
Nico Williams has had a slow start to the new season. The attacker has just one goal and one assist to his name in nine matches for Athletic Bilbao across all fronts.
Barcelona taking La Liga by storm this season
After enduring a disappointing outing under Xavi Hernandez last season, Barcelona seem to have gotten their pieces together this term following the arrival of Hansi Flick. Under the German, the Catalan giants have taken La Liga by storm, winning games consistently and striking fear into opposition teams.
As it stands, they sit atop the table with 24 points from nine games, having recorded eight victories and one defeat. They've also been the best offensive side so far, with 28 goals at an average of over three goals per game in the Spanish top flight.
Up next, the Blaugrana will go head-to-head with Sevilla in league action this weekend (Sunday, October 20) at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. They'll then face Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in their next two games in the Champions League and La Liga respectively.