German coach Edin Terzic reaches his hundredth day at the helm of Athletic Bilbao, but the lack of official matches in recent months makes a concrete evaluation of his management difficult. Since taking office on April 1, the coach has led the team in six official matches, obtaining two victories, two draws and two defeats, although the majority of these matches have been marked by postponements that have interrupted the club's continuity.
The first obstacle was the delay in the start of the LaLiga season, which was postponed to give international players more rest. Next, the match against Levante was suspended due to torrential rain that caused the field to flood, and the match with Rayo Vallecano was canceled after a massive launch of rubber balls onto the pitch, forcing the Federation to suspend the match. These interruptions have left Athletic with very few competitive matches and a higher proportion of training sessions than official matches.
Terzic, who signed a contract with the club until 2028, has tried to impose a playing philosophy based on quickly getting the ball out and adapting defensive positioning to the characteristics of the opponent. However, practice has been limited by the small number of games in which the team has been able to put its ideas into practice. The coach has pointed out that the team has had difficulties facing rivals who do not stop to give up meters, which has affected their performance in the defensive zone.
Athletic has not played an official match since the goalless draw against Alavés on September 19. The next match, scheduled for this Saturday, will be against Valencia CF, a team that has recently changed coaches. In their first match under the direction of Aguirre, Valencia achieved a 2-2 draw in Santander, although Athletic had a clear chance to win in the last action of the duel. The outcome of this upcoming match will be crucial in assessing Terzic's progress and the team's ability to compete in the league after a disrupted season.