Turkey’s goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, left, blocks a shot by Spain’s Nico Williams during a World Cup qualifying round Group E soccer match between Turkey and Spain at Konya Buyuksehir stadium, in Konya, Turkey, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Turkey’s goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, bottom, blocks a shot by Spain’s Nico Williams during a World Cup qualifying round Group E soccer match between Turkey and Spain at Konya Buyuksehir stadium, in Konya, Turkey, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Spain’s Nico Williams, front, and Turkey’s Mert Muldur run for the ball during a World Cup qualifying round Group E soccer match between Turkey and Spain at Konya Buyuksehir stadium, in Konya, Turkey, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Nico Williams out injured ahead of Athletic Bilbao’s Champions League return
BILBAO, Spain (AP) — Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams has a muscle injury that is expected to keep him from playing in the team’s return to the Champions League next week.
Turkey’s goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, left, blocks a shot by Spain’s Nico Williams during a World Cup qualifying round Group E soccer match between Turkey and Spain at Konya Buyuksehir stadium, in Konya, Turkey, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
BILBAO, Spain (AP) — Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams has a muscle injury that is expected to keep him from playing in the team’s return to the Champions League next week.
Williams was hurt on Sunday in the first half of Spain’s 6-0 rout of Turkey in World Cup qualifying.
The forward “suffers a moderate muscle injury to his left adductor muscle,” Athletic said after medical tests on Monday.
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Athletic did not give a timetable for Williams’ recovery.
The club hosts Arsenal on Sept. 16 in the first round of the league phase of the Champions League.
The Basque Country club will be playing in the Champions League for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
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