Nico Williams was back to his finest form against Valladolid, scoring two spectacular goals that earned him a thunderous ovation from the San Mamés crowd. “If I had to choose, I’d go with the first one,” he said in a post-game interview with Dazn. “I started moving inward, didn’t see a clear passing option, and decided it was time to take a shot – it just had to be a goal.”
The youngest of the Williams brothers didn’t overlook the significance of the day for De Marcos, who marked his 561st match with Athletic, a week after announcing his retirement from football in June. “For me, Marcos is a very special person, and he has been since I joined the first team,” Nico expressed. “Marcos has always been a huge help to my family, and as a captain, no one can say a bad word about him.” He added, “Last year, we had the cup as a goal, and this year, we want to reach the Europa League final – for De Marcos and for all our fans, he deserves it.”
With Marcos’ withdrawal, Iñaki Williams is set to become the first team captain. Nico thinks his brother is well-suited for the role: “I see him doing a great job, and I know he’ll encourage all the young players, just like Marcos does. He’s a fundamental piece of our team.” The Williams brothers have been exchanging banter recently, and Sunday’s match was no exception, with Nico joking that his brother was “a bit ghostly” after a distant shot almost caught the goalkeeper off guard. “My brother knew I was going to say he was looking for goal instead of saying he meant to cross it,” Nico laughed.
Captain’s emotion
De Marcos, who has played 561 games, left the pitch with deep emotion, which he didn’t hesitate to share. “I was nervous and excited before the game, and the substitution also excited me a lot,” he admitted. “The important thing is Athletic, but there are moments like these that will never be forgotten. I’m trying to focus on the present and enjoy where I am, particularly over these last three months.”