The mural featuring Nico Williams in Bilbao has once again been desecrated, just hours after it had been lovingly restored. The backlash from certain Athletic Club fans has escalated as the Spain international edges closer to a transfer to rivals Barcelona, a move that has sparked visible anger among the Basque community.
With Barcelona reportedly set to trigger the release clause for Williams next week, emotions have run high in Bilbao. The original tribute, which also featured his brother Inaki Williams and long-time club figure Iker Muniain, was first vandalised last weekend. In that incident, Nico’s face was scrubbed out and a message was scrawled in Basque: “Joan edo geratu, errespetua galdu duzu”, which translates to “Whether you leave or stay, you have lost respect.”
Artist Carlos Lopez, who created the original mural, had swiftly stepped in to repair the damage. However, his efforts were short-lived, as just days later, the artwork was once again targeted. This time, Williams' face was covered in black spray paint and accompanied by the phrase “rata de mierda”, a crude insult in Spanish translating to “rat of s***.”