Edin Terzic (43) is back on the big soccer stage—and, following his time at Borussia Dortmund, will take the reins of another highly emotional, historic club starting this summer. At Athletic Bilbao, Pellegrino Matarazzo could serve as a role model for him.
Two years after his departure from Borussia Dortmund, Edin Terzic clearly feels ready for a new challenge. The 43-year-old will take over the historic Basque club Athletic Bilbao starting this summer. The team, currently eighth in La Liga, has now made the announcement official. In Bilbao, Terzic—who signed a two-year contract running through June 30, 2028—will succeed the departing Ernesto Valverde.
The 62-year-old recently announced his departure this summer. For Valverde, who also coached FC Barcelona for a time, this marks the end of his third tenure in Bilbao. By the end of the season, he will have reached the milestone of 500 competitive matches as Athletic’s coach. For one special reason alone, his name will remain unforgettable for a long time: In 2024, Valverde brought the Copa del Rey trophy back to Bilbao for the first time in exactly 40 years.
A success story similar to Matarazzo’s?
Starting in July, it will be Terzic’s turn, and he is expected above all to inject new sporting momentum. Pellegrino Matarazzo could serve as a role model for him and the club. As a former Bundesliga coach, Matarazzo had surprisingly taken over Bilbao’s Basque rival Real Sociedad shortly before Christmas—and has turned the San Sebastian club around ever since.
Matarazzo didn’t lose a single one of his first nine competitive matches—and led La Real from the brink of relegation to a European spot. What made the rival’s rise particularly painful: In the tight Copa del Rey semifinals, Real Sociedad outwitted Bilbao of all teams in two matches (1-0 and 1-0). In the final in Seville, Matarazzo even claimed the crown in a dramatic match against Atlético Madrid that was decided in a penalty shootout.
Terzic hopes to replicate that success with new ideas. Interest in the former Borussia Dortmund coach, who led his BVB side to the Champions League final (0-2 against Real) in his farewell season, has flared up in various places over the past two years.
Legendary Athletic Approach
But it was neither Turin nor Monaco. Bilbao is Terzic’s new home. And it is famous for its legendary approach: only players with Basque roots or who were trained in the Basque Country play for the first team. The best-known stars in the squad are currently the brothers Inaki (31) and Nico Williams (23), who have always remained loyal to Athletic despite advances from other clubs.
In Bilbao, Terzic will become the second German coach in the club’s history: Jupp Heynckes left his mark at Athletic from 1992 to 1994 and from 2001 to 2003.
