La Liga

Valverde Concerned Over Williams Brothers' Fitness During International Break

11 de julio de 2026Pablo Navarro1 min

The fitness of brothers Iñaki and Nico Williams is proving to be a significant concern for Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde during the current international break. Neither of the two forwards is currently training with the squad, though Valverde remains hopeful of having them available for the final stretch of the season, which for the Lions kicks off on April 5th away against Getafe.

Iñaki, after delivering a strong performance in the recent league victory against Real Betis, has been unable to join Ghana for their friendly matches against Austria and Germany due to muscular discomfort. The Athletic captain will continue his recovery at Lezama. He did not train with his teammates this Wednesday. Missing the camp with the African national team is particularly significant, as it was the last one before the World Cup squad announcement. The elder Williams brother had also missed the two previous call-ups due to injuries.

Meanwhile, Nico is following individual routines, separate from the main group, as he enters his fifth week of abdominal strengthening treatment to combat pubalgia. The winger is making good progress, and the expectation is that he will soon rejoin group training, as the initial plan was for him to be available for the match against Getafe.

In Wednesday's training session at Lezama, Yuri did not participate, instead undergoing a recovery session, while Paredes trained at a low intensity, apart from his teammates, after several days absent from the pitch.