Nico Williams: Barcelona players want me to play with them

Spain and Athletic Club star Nico Williams revealed in a recent interview that several Barcelona players persistently messaged him, urging him to leave his club and join them at Camp Nou during the summer transfer window. Williams, who showcased his talent at Euro 2024, was a top target for Barcelona, but he ultimately chose to stay with Athletic Club for another season.

Speaking to La Revuelta, Williams said, “It was a difficult time.” He jokingly referred to his Barça friends, like Lamine Yamal and Alejandro Balde, as “bastards” for trying to sway him, adding, “They kept saying, ‘brother, come now, come now.’” Even now, he mentioned, Barça fans still flood his social media with messages, with opinions split between “come to Barça” and “we don’t need you anymore.”

Barcelona, led by new manager Hansi Flick, has had a stellar season so far. Flick, who succeeded Xavi Hernandez last summer, has enforced a unique discipline approach. Midfielder Pedri explained, “With Xavi, if you arrived late, you’d get fined €5000, and the fine doubled if it happened again. Flick, however, has no fines — if you’re late, you simply don’t play, which is worse for me.”

Barcelona continues to thrive under Flick’s direction, maintaining their position as LaLiga leaders and proving that the new disciplinary structure may be paying off.