As Spain head into the crucial Europa League quarter-final against Germany, Nico Williams gave an in-depth interview to As newspaper, sharing his expectations for the team's prospects, his personal goals and his thoughts on the impact of social media.
When asked if he speaks English, Williams responded with humor, "A little bit ...... (laughter)." This relaxed attitude also reflects his ease in facing the game and the media.
Speaking of Athletic Bilbao's "understated" style of play, Williams believes that the Spanish team is moving forward in a similar way: "Now we all see that no one would have said that we would get this far at the beginning. Everyone said Spain weren't the favorites, that our national team wasn't very good. But we are proving ourselves to be a good team, with ambition and desire to reach the final. It's better to keep a low profile and hopefully we can continue on this path and realize our dreams."
On the news that next season's UEFA Cup final will be held at Athletic Bilbao's home stadium, San Mames, Williams said he is looking forward to it but is more focused on the present: "Of course I'm looking forward to it but I'm focusing on the Europa League right now. What will happen in the future, no one knows, what will come will come."
On the pitch at the Europa League, Williams was full of praise for Germany's Musiala: "I really enjoy watching Musiala play, he can play well in the middle and on the wings, and is good at controlling the ball, crossing the ball and scoring goals. There are a lot of good players in the team and we must try to learn from them as well."
Of Spain's style, Williams believes the team is both brave and attacking: "We have ambition, and the last few years have been bad luck, but people are starting to realize that we can achieve great things. Hopefully this Euro will prove that."
When asked if Spain will win the title, Williams remained cautiously optimistic: "I hope so, but I wouldn't say for sure. We'll fight hard to get to the end and to celebrate together that will be fantastic."
Regarding St. Fermin's Day, which may be missed due to the tournament, Williams said, "If we miss it because we make it to the finals, it won't hurt. Hopefully God will bless us to get that far."
Finally, Williams had an important message for the kids about the effects of social media, "I encourage kids to be aware of what they are posting on social media. Everyone looks brave behind a screen, but certain words can be very hurtful to a person. You never know what someone is going through in their life and could unintentionally hurt them. I've learned to accept the occasional negative comment and stay positive. As professionals, we know what kind of mindset we need to keep to deal with these challenges."
