An Athletic Club player says he wouldn't play for Barça: Who is it?

Athletic Club de Bilbao is raising a fierce rivalry that doesn't exist with FC Barcelona. This has been reflected in recent statements by one of their players, where he stated that he would not play for the Azulgrana team.

In this sense, the person responsible for the refusal is Mikel Jauregizar, a regular in the double pivot of the San Mamés team, led by Ernesto Valverde. The player also inherited the number '18' that Óscar de Marcos left free after his retirement.

"Playing for Athletic is the dream of all young people in Euskal Herria and I have seen it fulfilled. I have always wanted to defend this shirt. What would I say if I received an offer from Barça? No," said the midfielder.

Why did Jaureguizar make these statements?

While each player has a marked desire, it is striking that these statements by Jaureguizar come after all the commotion caused by Athletic Club when Barcelona tried to sign Nico Williams or after winning the two games of the last season in LaLiga and even eliminating them from the Spanish Super Cup.

Rather, it seems that the Basque team has implanted in its players a kind of rejection towards Barça, with whom they also share the top spot of the top winners of the Copa del Rey. The Culés have 32 titles, while Bilbao is second with 24.

In this way, the Basque team tries to create a rift with the Catalan team, with whom they are currently not going through the best moment in their institutional relations, according to various media.

The failed signing of Nico Williams, used by Athletic Club to attack Barça

In this sense, when Barça tried to sign Nico Williams to reinforce the left wing, 'los leones' began to attack the Blaugrana team, in their intention to hinder the incorporation.

And, in fact, they ended up achieving their goal by appearing at the LaLiga offices to request information about the economic situation of the Catalan club to find out if they could undertake the registration of the forward.

After all this, the 'Rojiblanco' team managed to sow doubts in the '10' so that he finally ended up renewing until 2035the 'Rojiblanco' team managed to sow doubts in the '10' so that he finally ended up renewing until 2035, leaving aside the proposal from Barça that offered him a six-season contract, that is, until 2031.

It was even speculated that the Catalans had reached an agreement with the player from Pamplona for him to receive a net salary of between 7 and 8 million euros per season.