MADRID, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- All eyes will be on one player when FC Barcelona entertain Athletic Bilbao in Montjuic on Saturday evening.
Barcelona made no secret of their desire to sign Athletic's Spain international forward Nico Williams over the summer, with club president Joan Laporta speaking openly about the 22-year-old and insisting that his club had the funds to pay his 58 million euro release clause.
Barcelona-based newspapers El Mundo Deportivo and Sport both insisted a deal was getting closer all the time, with Sport even saying the player had agreed terms.
And yet Williams will be wearing Athletic's shirt when he takes to the pitch on Saturday after rejecting a move to Barcelona, clearly stating his aim to stay with the club where he has spent his entire career, and with whom he won last season's Copa del Rey.
Recent events have only highlighted the wisdom of his decision, as Barcelona continue to struggle with financial fair play rules imposed by the club's massive debts of over 1,000 million euros.
At the time of writing, they still have not been able to inscribe summer signing Dani Olmo into their squad, due to FFP issues, while Ilkay Gundogan, one of their best players last season, has been allowed to return to Manchester City on a free transfer, just a year after having moved the other way.
The club also need to move on January arrival Vitor Roque, with a loan deal to Real Betis vital to lower their wage ceiling, and with Frenkie de Jong still out with an ankle injury, coach Hansi Flick will again use youngsters Marc Bernal and Marc Casado in central midfield.
Barca still have potent threats in attack, with Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Williams' close friend Lamine Yamal, but they look vulnerable in defense, with Alejandro Balde returning after injury and doubts over how many games Inigo Martinez - who left Athletic to join Barca a year ago - can manage after suffering a muscle problem.
Athletic also have injury worries, with defender Aitor Paredes and midfielder Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta both out with calf problems and Dani Vivian likely to start after just 10 days' training following Euro 2024.
Spain international keeper Unai Simon has been out for a couple of months after a wrist operation and his substitute Julen Agirrezabala has just returned to training this week after a back injury, meaning Alex Padilla is likely to continue after impressing last weekend.
Athletic haven't won in Barcelona for 23 years and will travel as underdogs again on Saturday, but if Nico Williams can inspire them to a win, the fallout for Laporta will be very damaging indeed. ■
