Terzic: "The Copa is special and we want it to stay that way"

Terzic praised AE Prat's sportsmanship after Athletic's Copa del Rey win and highlighted opportunities for fringe players including goalscorers Vizcay, Imga and Selton.

Athletic manager Terzic was pleased with his side's Copa del Rey performance against AE Prat, commending the lower-league club's hospitality and competitive approach. "I want to congratulate AE Prat for their hospitality and how the match was played, because they didn't come to park the bus," Terzic said. "This is a special competition for us and it's been shown that we want it to stay that way."

Terzic noted that several fringe players featured in the match, with Txus Vizcay, Imga and Selton all scoring their first goals for the club in the closing stages. He emphasized the importance of giving these players opportunities to develop gradually toward the first team, while also highlighting the performances of others like Monreal, Prados and Nico Serrano who have limited minutes despite strong showings. With only two competitions this season, Terzic acknowledged the challenge of balancing squad rotation with the pressure from academy players pushing for promotion.