Athletic Club were beaten 3-1 by Levante on Wednesday, a result that added to the doubts surrounding Terzić’s start in Bilbao. The visitors began well but were punished by two goals from Roger Brugué in the space of two minutes, leaving them with a difficult task before half-time.
Álex Berenguer converted a penalty in the 67th minute to give Athletic hope, but Aymeric Laporte was sent off shortly afterwards. Karl Etta Eyong then scored in stoppage time to seal Levante’s victory.
The defeat has intensified scrutiny of Terzić, who has yet to reverse the poor momentum carried over from the end of last season. According to Fichajes, citing TuttoMercatoWeb, Athletic’s hierarchy are questioning whether the German should continue in the role, with the weekend fixture against Getafe potentially significant for his position.
Marcelino García Toral has reportedly emerged as a possible replacement. The Spaniard previously managed Athletic and remains a familiar name among supporters, but there has been no official announcement that the club intend to make a change or that an approach has been made.
Terzić has acknowledged that Athletic must improve after the loss at Levante, particularly in the way they manage possession and prevent avoidable goals. The club’s official match report quoted him as saying: “If we want to be a team that wins matches, we have to stop conceding these sort of easy goals and create more dangerous chances. That is our challenge and we will work on it.”
He also pointed to the team’s response after the break, when Athletic pushed forward and tried to recover the deficit despite the red card.
The immediate challenge is to turn that response into a result at San Mamés. Getafe visit on Sunday, giving Terzić an opportunity to steady the situation in front of Athletic’s supporters.
The rumours over his future underline the pressure that accompanies a difficult run, but they remain reports rather than confirmation of an imminent dismissal. Athletic must decide whether the problems can be corrected through improved performances or whether a change in leadership is necessary.
For now, the focus is on the next league fixture. A positive result against Getafe would ease some of the pressure, while another setback could intensify questions about Terzić’s future.