Gers must stop £48.5m Arsenal target and his big brother to stand any chance in Europa League
03/20/2025 01:30 PM
Rangers know that they will be up against it in the Europa League when Athletic Bilbao come to town after the March international break.
A Jack Butland inspired Rangers managed to edge their way past Fenerbahce to set up a Europa League quarter final clash with the club who are currently 4th in La Liga.
With Athletic's Estadio de San Mamés set to host this season's Europa League Final, the extra incentive for procession against Rangers is clear.
Rangers' abysmal record against Spanish teams is a cause for concern, that's even if a Sir Alex Ferguson-inspired Rangers overcame Athletic Bilbao way back in 1969.
Jose Mourinho also reckons Rangers will struggle against Athletic, the Special One's Fenerbahce having hosted and lost to Athletic in the competition's group stage.
Barry Ferguson has swatted away such chatter, suggesting his focus is on Rangers and Rangers alone.
But if Rangers are to stand any chance of progression against Athletic in the Europa League this season, the interim Rangers manager knows that his side need to keep two Basque brothers quiet.
Arsenal linked £48.5m Athletic star set to face Rangers
Whilst Athletic Bilbao have a squad of talented players, the Basque club famously only use footballers who were born in the Basque Country.
Amongst them is Spanish international Nico Williams, born in Bilbao to two Ghanaian parents who reached Spain after crossing the Sahara desert on foot.
Having come through the youth ranks at Athletic, the 22-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting attacking talents in European football.
Named Man of the Match in the Euro 2024 Final for his performance against England, reports have claimed Arsenal are ready to trigger the Spain winger's €58m (£48.5m) release clause this summer (Caught Offside).
The forward opened the scoring before Spain went on to win the game 2-1 and lift the trophy.
Williams has also been central to Athletic's progression in the Europa League, with the winger netting a double to down AS Roma in a 3-1 win in Bilbao which overturned a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in Rome.
In a magnificent display, Williams hit the post before drawing Athletic level in the tie on the stroke of half-time.
The Spain star then completed a double with the 'goal of the round' by cutting inside the Roma box and dinking the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.
Ernesto Valverde might've got his Rangers excuses in early by taking aim at La Liga's fixture scheduling ahead of the Europa League quarter final.
Amid plenty of rumours surrounding the future of Nico Williams, the Spanish coach ended the chatter once and for all by suggesting the winger is happy at Athletic.
Valverde has also charged the attacker to go out and prove he has what it takes to reach the top of the game.
"The reality is that Nico is with us and happy," Valverde told 20 Minutos. "What a pain with this story. There are many times when the gum can stretch, but we’re going to let it go now.
| Nico Williams Europa League stats 24/25 | |
| Appearances (starts) | 10 (9) |
| Goals (xG) | 4 (2.15) |
| Assists (xA) | 2 (1.2) |
| Chances created | 20 |
| Shots (on target) | 21 (9) |
| Dribbles completed (%) | 34 (47.2%) |
| Passes completed (%) | 192 (80%) |
| Touches (in opposition box) | 472 (44) |
| Possession won in final third | 8 |
"We spoke with Nico, he came back happy, he took the number 10… and off he goes. I haven’t had any doubts in that sense.
"We have to see that he’s faced situations and responded.
"I don’t know what Nico’s ceiling is, and we expect it to be much higher. But it’s the same thing I expect with players like Adama (Boiro) or (Mikel) Jauregizar."
Nico Williams' big brother also a Europa League threat
Nico Williams is not to be confused with his older brother Inaki, who is also a crucial part of the Athletic Bilbao team.
Whilst Inaki Williams had his opportunity with the Spanish national team when he was young, earning a solitary cap in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2016, the Athletic number nine now represents Ghana on the international stage.
Williams is now in his 11th season at Athletic, making him one of the club's longest serving players ever, and holds the La Liga record for the most consecutive games (241).
Like Nico, Inaki is also a crucial part of how Athletic Bilbao play football.
Indeed it was Inaki Williams' double which downed Jose Mourinho, the Ghana striker netting both goals in Athletic's 2-0 victory in Turkey in the group stages.
Check out the second of Williams' two goals below, with the ball rasping in off the underside of the bar from the tightest of angles.
Whilst Nico Williams is making headlines alongside the biggest clubs in Europe, Rangers know they will have to handle the wily older brother Inaki too if they're to progress to the Europa League semi-finals.
Both represent sizeable threats to Rangers' progress and if Barry Ferguson can keep the brothers quiet, the Gers might just prove all their doubters wrong.
