Terzic backs Iñaki Williams: "I have no problem calling matches finals"

Athletic Club hosts a Getafe side caught up in its own internal turmoil this Saturday at San Mamés, following the public spat between José Bordalás and Ángel Torres. Speaking from Lezama ahead of the fixture, Edin Terzic did not shy away from the label of a must-win game thrown out by Iñaki Williams after the defeat at Ciutat de València. The German coach embraced his captain's message and openly admitted the team needs an immediate response.

• Athletic has taken three points from the last twelve and suffered a heavy blow against Levante.
• Terzic supports Iñaki Williams' idea of treating the Getafe clash as a final.
• The German coach admits the team is not in the desired position, but sees positive steps in performance.
• The key against Getafe will be mixing fast transitions with a more elaborate positional game.
• The Basque side cannot rely solely on counter-attacking to create danger.

The pressure of playing for a top club

Asked if it was too early to use such a heavy term as "final" at this stage of the campaign, Terzic was blunt. The coach from Menden sees no problem in loading every match with importance as long as the mindset is to play each one as if the season were on the line. In his view, competing for a club of Athletic's stature comes with living permanently under that kind of pressure.

"I have no problem calling matches finals if it means playing every one of them as if it were the last of the season. If you play for a big club and you don't win three in a row and lose the fourth, the pressure increases."

For the German, words before the game mean little without a decisive response on the pitch. He insisted that the focus must be on what the team shows against the Azulones, rather than on the narrative built in the days leading up to the match.

Self-criticism after the Levante defeat

The Athletic boss did not hide his displeasure with what happened on Wednesday against Levante. He acknowledged that the team showed an encouraging version during the opening phase of the match, with a clear improvement compared to what was seen against Valencia. However, small tactical errors once again punished the Bilbao side.

The first goal conceded, in his analysis, shattered the team's rhythm and took them mentally out of the match. That emotional fragility is one of the issues that worries the coaching staff most. Terzic called for discipline and conviction even when a setback occurs on the scoreboard.

Solutions, not excuses: Terzic's message

With the Getafe match, Athletic will have completed roughly a quarter of the league schedule. That is not a sufficient sample for definitive verdicts, but it is enough to draw conclusions about the real state of the project. Terzic was clear in saying the team is not where he would like it to be, although he valued the progress made in terms of performance.

The German listed the many external obstacles that have conditioned the start of the season: injuries, the delay in the start of domestic competition and an international break that left the lions dormant for nearly a month. Despite all that, he sent a direct and uncompromising message about his role in all of it.

"My job is not to find excuses, it is to look for solutions and that is where I focus. Everyone here has asked me about injuries, the delayed start of LaLiga, the break and not playing for 28 days... we are going to face every challenge."

How to beat Getafe: direct play and positioning

The German coach admitted the team needs to find a balance between two ways of attacking. On the one hand, the best route to goal after winning the ball back is launching lightning-fast transitions, a plan that worked in the wins against Celta and Atlético de Madrid. But not every opponent will allow them to run free.

When the rival closes the spaces, as Getafe will likely do, the solution must come from a more precise positional game. Terzic considers the Madrid side specialists in managing different defensive heights, comfortable in mid-block, high pressing or sitting deep near their own box. In that context, patience and circulation will be essential.

The goal is not to become a predictable team reliant solely on counter-attacks or on keeping clean sheets. Athletic must master both facets to aim higher. Terzic sees progress, but he also makes clear the process is far from complete.