‘I was surprised’ – Athletic Club chief responds to Nico Williams’ hug with Barcelona boss Flick | OneFootball

Athletic Club president Jon Uriarte has on Monday provided his take on the viral recent embrace between star player Nico Williams, and Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick.

An exchange between Nico and Flick, of course, took its place front and centre in the headlines across all of Spain late late last month.

As much came in the aftermath of a La Liga meeting between Athletic Club, and Barcelona.

After the latter emerged on the right side of a 2-1 scoreline, wide-man Williams, on his way off the pitch, was stopped momentarily by Hansi Flick.

From here, the pair exchanged some quick words, as well as an embrace, with the former having walked away with a wide grin across his face.

Fresh off Barca’s summer-long pursuit of Nico’s signature, the back-and-forth between the pair, in turn, inevitably piqued attentions across the La Liga landscape.

Speaking in a press conference on Monday, it therefore came as little surprise when the subject was put to Athletic Club president Jon Uriarte.

And the Spaniard, as cited by Diario Sport, made use of the opportunity to aim something of a dig at Hansi Flick, in explaining:

“Throughout the summer, Flick’s statements were normal and respectful, but I was surprised by that hug. He explained that he congratulated Nico on his triumph at the Euros, so  I suppose he also congratulated Vivian [too]… although I don’t think I saw that.”

Conor Laird | GSFN