After two losses to start the season, Athletic Bilbao has won two straight games under new coach Edin Terzic. The German is thrilled with his team and the atmosphere—and wants more.
Well, there you go—who would’ve thought? Of course, Edin Terzic couldn’t match the record set by Jupp Heynckes, who kicked off his tenure with Athletic Bilbao in 1992 with a 2-1 home win against Cádiz. After all, there was already that 1-3 loss to Sevilla FC in their first home game three weeks ago.
But with Saturday’s 3-0 win over Atlético Madrid, the former Dortmund coach and new Bilbao manager has earned some brownie points. And plenty of them, at that. Partly because he was the one handing out compliments afterward: “I was pleased with my entire team; we played with intensity, and the atmosphere at San Mamés was simply world-class.”
After two losses to start the season—against Sevilla and then against defending champions FC Barcelona (0–2)—Terzic’s Athletic has now not only racked up two straight wins but also kept two consecutive clean sheets. Last week, they won 2–0 in Vigo, sealing the victory before halftime.
Simeone and Nico Williams Praise Terzic
On Saturday, Athletic struck twice immediately after halftime against Atlético; World Cup champion Nico Williams first scored with a header and then provided the assist for Robert Navarro’s 2–0 goal. In the final minute, Sancet scored to seal the victory. Even Atlético coach Diego Simeone raved: “I really like this Bilbao team. Under Terzic, they’ll definitely be in the mix for the top spots.”
In Bilbao, everyone is already thrilled with Terzic. Nico Williams says: “Our new coach is spectacular, and you can see that on the field in the way we play. He’s taught us a lot of new things and gave a great halftime speech that got us back into the game.” And, according to Williams: “We like the coach’s system.” The groin issues Nico—as he’s known in Spain—has been dealing with, which sidelined the forward for much of the World Cup season, seem to be a thing of the past. They were still bothering him during the tournament, but didn’t prevent him from providing the assist for Ferran Torres’s winning goal in the World Cup final. Now he played 76 minutes, his longest appearance this season.
Terzic relies on a high-tempo transition game that suits Nico Williams and his teammates, but he doesn’t shy away from result-oriented soccer and efficiency either. Against Atlético, he held onto the lead using a 5-4-1 formation. The chemistry with Nico’s brother and captain, Inaki Williams, also seems to be right. After the 2-0 win in Vigo, Williams said, “This is exactly the path we need to take.” Terzic adds, “The six points we have now are just the beginning.” Against upcoming opponents Elche, Levante, and Alavés, the chances of picking up more points look good.
