Our current Champions League attempts are going quite well as compared to our dismal Premier League campaign thus far.
Our narrow defeat against Barcelona was followed by two decisive victories over Union Saint-Gilloise and Benfica, which put us in eighth place and currently in the running to make it to the round of sixteen.
And if Spanish stories are to be accepted, we might receive a significant boost ahead of our match against Athletic Bilbao at St. James’ Park on Wednesday night.
Without a doubt, Bilbao’s best player?
Because of a hernia problem, Nico Williams is a doubt for Athletic Bilbao’s trip to Tyneside, according to MARCA.
After barely being fit enough to start on the bench in Bilbao’s 3-2 loss to Real Sociedad over the weekend, the 23-year-old left winger is reportedly “playing with discomfort” and may require surgery to address the problem, casting doubt on tomorrow’s match.
Given that Real Madrid player Franco Mastantuono and Barcelona star Yamine Lamal have both recently been diagnosed with a similar pubalgia ailment, it appears that the major teams in La Liga are becoming increasingly concerned about injuries.
Bilbao has contacted a physician, and it appears like Williams may miss two to three months of the season if he gets surgery.
Williams, who often plays for Spain and has long been regarded as the standout player for the Basque team, has been linked to a move to the Premier League, but some have been put off by the £80 million buyout provision in his new Bilbao deal.
La Liga team having trouble
Even if Ernesto Valverde’s team had a fantastic season in La Liga the previous season, things haven’t been easy.
They are currently in 11th position, having lost five of their past eight games, and have scored the fourth fewest goals in the division.
The former Europa League winners’ Champions League performance has also been lacking. They lost to Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal to start the league round, but they managed to recover a little with a 3-1 victory against minnows Qarabag.
With 10 losses from their last 12 games across all competitions, their current away record is likewise comparable to our own dismal away record from St. James’ Park.
Oihan Sancet may be their star offensive player now that Inaki Williams is sidelined, but Eddie Howe and the boys should be looking forward to their next match as a chance to demonstrate that we take European football seriously this season.
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