The project of the new first-team coach of Athletic Club, Edin Terzic, has several open fronts, but one stands out above the rest: the renewal of Yuri Berchiche. The future of the Zarautz-born defender has been the main topic of the latest league talk show, 'Minuto 91' by Cope Bilbao, held at the Baskian Brewery.
There is broad consensus that Yuri was the team's best player last season. However, the club's policy of adjusting salaries for players his age (36) and the need to balance the budget are making an agreement difficult. Former player Raúl García stated: "I would have renewed Yuri a long time ago, because I know him and I know the performance he will give you." Others, like Carlos Zabalza, have warned that not renewing him would create a "big problem" for Athletic, as there isn't a guaranteed starting left-back for 33 games.
According to Sebastian Azkarate "Batzu", the difficulties are related to the need to "adjust Athletic's accounts in the next budget." The general feeling is that Yuri holds the upper hand, in a situation defined as pure "supply and demand" due to the lack of clear alternatives in the market or from the youth academy.
Yuri's situation is just one piece in the large puzzle that the new coach, Edin Terzic, must assemble. The German is expected to start preseason with a squad of almost 40 players, including the 26 from last season, the nine returning loanees, and several academy players. This 'overbooking' complicates planning and the integration of new talents from Lezama.
The role of the 'cubs' (youth players) has also been a hot topic. Raúl García's warning not to "give away promotion to the first team" was recalled. Javier Rodríguez Beltrán pointed out that there is "more talent than it seems" in the academy, although he admitted that "there is no room for the reserve team players" due to the saturation of the first squad. The case of Peio Canales, after his successful loan spell at Racing de Santander, is an example of a player returning to fight for a spot.
Faced with this complex scenario, Batzu has called for "patience, which is scarce in football." He considers it fundamental to wait and see the "identity" of the new German coach. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism, stating that with the current squad and contributions from the academy, "a competitive team can be made," especially in a league he perceives as "devalued."
The talk show also addressed the joint Basque bid for the 2030 World Cup. The proposal for San Mamés and Anoeta to share four matches has generated uncertainty. The panelists expressed fears that FIFA might reject the formula, causing Euskadi to lose a significant opportunity for economic and tourist return.
In the more immediate future, the club will have four World Cup participants this summer. In addition to the already known Unai Simón, Nico Williams, and Aymeric Laporte with Spain, Iñaki Williams has joined with Ghana. The consensus among analysts is that this international presence represents a "positive prestige" for Athletic, despite the inherent risk of injuries.
The latest 'Minuto 91' talk show of the season took place once again at the Cervecería Baskian, in the Zubiarte shopping center. Its manager, Elena Dermit, confirmed that the venue will not close during the summer. The restaurant will remain open, even during the Aste Nagusia, offering its "non-stop open kitchen" from morning until midnight. Additionally, Dermit announced that they are preparing "a couple of new small plates" for their menu and reminded attendees of the ease of making reservations through their website.
