Iñaki Williams, captain of Athletic Bilbao, expressed his sadness over the absence of Nico Williams in the match against Arsenal in the opening of the team's Champions League campaign, emphasizing the importance of playing at San Mamés and the expected fan support for this significant European occasion.

Williams stated in remarks during the press conference preceding tomorrow's match against Arsenal: "It is painful that Nico will not be able to be with us; everyone knows how important he is, he is a game-changer and creates opportunities from nothing, we will try hard to compensate for his absence."

He added: "We recognize that we will face a great team tomorrow, but we have great strength when we play at home; at San Mamés, we are always the favorites, and anyone who wants to win here has to give their all. We are strong with the support of our fans, and we will strive to make Arsenal's players feel uncomfortable."

He continued: "I feel excited and nervous; for many of us, this is our first match in the Champions League. We fought hard to reach this moment, and we will do everything we can to keep this dream alive."

He went on: "We are facing a team favored to win the tournament, but we will fight for the three points. We know that emotions can affect us against a competitor like Arsenal, and if things don't go as we want, we might lose focus. We faced this against Manchester United, so we learned the lesson."

Williams emphasized the importance of sticking to the tactical plan: "We must not deviate from the established plan, and we hope it will bear fruit and lead us to victory."

Regarding the presence of some Spanish players in Arsenal's squad, he said: "Of course, their return to San Mamés represents an additional motivation for them, but we also play with all our strength, as being in the Champions League is a dream we want to maintain. We are not afraid of anyone, but we respect everyone."

In conclusion, he spoke about Arsenal's strength: "Arsenal is a complete team with great attacking capabilities, capable of deciding the match at any moment. We have to work hard so they don't find spaces, and we aim to stop their danger on our pitch."