Nico Williams injury overshadows Spain's Austria draw

Austria in the round of 36 on Thursday

Spain's path is set. Austria await in the World Cup round of 36 on Thursday night (1). Austria finished second in their group and their fans celebrated wildly when it was confirmed they would face Spain, not because they got what they wanted, but because they avoided Argentina (5). Your team topped Group H with a 1–0 win over Uruguay on Saturday, and now the knockout rounds begin for real (6). A deep run is the expectation. Nothing less.

Nico Williams could miss the rest of the World Cup

This is the story that hurts. Nico Williams was forced off after a challenge from Uruguay's Nicolas de la Cruz in Saturday's 1–0 win, and the winger may now miss the remainder of the tournament (2). A former FIFA referee reviewed the incident and said de la Cruz should have seen red for the tackle (2). Williams posted on social media: "Hoy es uno de los peores días de mi vida. Vuelvo a lesionarme después de un año muy complicado, en el que la pubalgia me ganó muchas batallas, pero no la guerra", today is one of the worst days of his life, a relapse after a year and a half battling pubalgia (2). Losing him reshapes Spain's attacking options entirely.

Ugarte out with torn ACL

Manuel Ugarte suffered a torn cruciate ligament against Spain in the final group match (3). The Manchester United midfielder is done for the tournament, and his club are already reworking their plans (3). That is the extent of the impact on Spain, an opponent's bad luck, but notable given the intensity of that Uruguay match.

Fan reactions

Spanish fans are buzzing for the knockout stage. The chatter in the Marca comments section is full of confidence, many supporters already see the team as genuine contenders for a second star (4). The win over Uruguay settled some nerves, but the Williams injury has tempered the mood. Most agree: Spain are the better side against Austria, but nothing is taken for granted. Join the discussion on Reddit.