Terzic and the right-back dilemma: "Rincón deserves to start"

Rincón has started Athletic's last four matches and earned manager Terzic's backing over Areso, who has kept three consecutive clean sheets.

Hugo Rincón has established himself as Athletic's right-back in recent weeks, starting the last four matches and appearing to edge out Areso in the pecking order. Manager Eusebio Terzic defended the decision, saying Rincón "deserves to have more minutes" after playing well recently. Terzic stressed that both players are important to the club and that he makes decisions based on who will contribute most to the team's performance rather than against any individual. The playing time is relatively balanced so far this season: Areso has 461 minutes across league and cup competitions, while Rincón has 457. Terzic compared the situation to his substitution strategy during matches, emphasizing that he focuses on what a player will add to the game rather than what he is removing.