Terzic picks Bilbao as Athletic's preseason base

El Correo reported on June 1 that Edin Terzic wants Athletic Club to spend the first part of preseason in Bilbao, using the summer program to settle quickly into the club and familiarize himself with Lezama. The newspaper said the plan is for the squad to work in the city before traveling later for friendly matches. Athletic has not yet published its preseason calendar on its official website. The club announced on May 5 that Terzic had agreed a two-year contract through June 30, 2028 and would be formally presented at the start of the new season. ### Why would Terzic keep Athletic in Bilbao at the start of preseason? El Correo said Terzic's idea is to use the opening weeks in Bilbao to accelerate his integration into the club and its daily routines. The report said sessions at Lezama would be used for player integration and physical preparation before any trips for exhibition games. Lezama is more than a training ground in Athletic's structure. The complex houses the club's academy and first-team work, making it a central part of how coaches get to know players, staff and internal processes. Athletic's official site says Terzic previously worked in Borussia Dortmund's academy and football operations department before his senior coaching roles, a background that may fit a preseason built around observation and internal work. ### What has Athletic said publicly about Terzic so far? Athletic Club said on May 5 that Terzic would become head coach of the men's first team for the next two seasons. The club said the 43-year-old had coached Borussia Dortmund in two spells, won the 2021 DFB-Pokal and led the German side to the 2024 Champions League final. Athletic also said he would be officially presented at the start of the new season. (athletic-club.eus) May 27 brought another formal step in the transition. Athletic said Jon Aspiazu, Luis Prieto and Alberto Iglesias would leave the men's first-team staff as part of the restructuring following Ernesto Valverde's departure and Terzic's arrival. That means the preseason base decision sits alongside broader changes around the coaching group. (athletic-club.eus) ### Why does Lezama matter in this plan? Lezama is the place where Athletic's first team and academy intersect, so a coach starting there gets immediate contact with the club's internal ecosystem. El Correo framed the choice as a way for Terzic to get to know Lezama as soon as possible, rather than treating preseason mainly as a travel block. Mundo Deportivo, in a June 1 analysis of Terzic's tasks, said the German coach would take charge at the beginning of July and face the job of rebuilding a side that finished the 2025-26 season on May 23. (athletic-club.eus) The paper listed returning to Europe and making San Mames difficult for opponents among the main objectives, while saying much would depend on recovering the level of key players. ### Does this say anything about Athletic's summer priorities? El Correo's report points more to internal preparation than to an early summer tour. The sequence it described - Bilbao first, friendlies later - suggests Terzic wants initial time for conditioning, evaluation and adaptation before the team starts traveling. That fits the public timeline Athletic has set. The club has said Terzic's formal presentation will come at the start of the new season, and its official news page is where it publishes training schedules, work plans and friendly announcements. (mundodeportivo.com) As of June 2, those preseason details had not yet been posted. ### What should readers watch for next? July is the next key date in the handover. Mundo Deportivo said Terzic is due to take charge at the beginning of that month, and Athletic has said his official presentation will come when the new season begins. Athletic's official website is likely to be the next source for the practical details - reporting dates, open training sessions, preseason friendlies and any further staff appointments around Terzic's first summer in Bilbao. (athletic-club.eus 1) (athletic-club.eus 2) (mundodeportivo.com)