Bittor Llopis appointed head coach of Bilbao Athletic on two-year deal
Athletic Club has named Bittor Llopis as the new head coach of Bilbao Athletic, the club confirmed on Wednesday. Llopis, 38, signs a two-season contract to lead the reserve side and oversee the progression of Lezama graduates toward the first team.
Club announcement and contract details
The club issued an official statement announcing Bittor Llopis as the coach of Bilbao Athletic for the next two seasons. The agreement mirrors the length of the contract given to Edin Terzic with the first team, signaling coordinated planning across Athletic’s coaching structure.
Llopis will take charge of Athletic’s final development team as it prepares for another season in Primera RFEF. His remit includes managing competitive performance and smoothing the transition from youth football to the professional ranks.
Promotion from Basconia and Youth League experience
Llopis arrives after three seasons in charge of CD Basconia, Athletic’s feeder side, where he oversaw steady progress and tangible results. During the current campaign he also directed Athletic’s entry in the UEFA Youth League, giving him experience against the continent’s elite youth setups.
At Basconia he gained promotion to the Segunda Federación by winning the Tercera División title and then consolidated the side in the higher division. That run of development was a key factor in the club’s decision to elevate him to the Bilbao Athletic role.
Lezama tenure and developmental milestones
Athletic detailed that Llopis joined the Lezama academy four seasons ago to take charge of the División de Honor Juvenil side. In that role he guided the juveniles to a runner-up finish in the Copa del Rey Juvenil, demonstrating an ability to prepare players for high-stakes knockout competition.
His early spell in Lezama also included succeeding Carlos Gurpegui at Basconia, where he finished second in his first season and followed with promotion the next year. The club highlighted Llopis’s capacity to produce measurable year-on-year improvements in player performance and team results.
Early coaching career and regional ties
Llopis’s coaching career began in the youth ranks at Leioa, from where he moved into the Deportivo Alavés youth system. He spent three seasons at Alavés working with their age-group teams before taking charge of San Ignacio in the Tercera División for two seasons.
These roles established Llopis within the Basque coaching network and allowed him to develop a coaching profile rooted in local player development. His experience across regional clubs gives him familiarity with the talent pipeline that feeds Lezama and, by extension, Bilbao Athletic.
Expectations and role at Bilbao Athletic
Athletic has tasked Llopis with both competitive and developmental goals: to keep Bilbao Athletic competitive in Primera RFEF while preparing academy graduates for first-team responsibilities. The club views the reserve team not only as a results-driven entity but as a crucial bridge to top-flight football.
Llopis’s mandate will include tactical refinement, physical preparation, and mental readiness for players making the step up. The coaching staff will need to balance match performance with individualized development plans for prospects earmarked for the senior squad.
Context within Athletic’s coaching structure
The appointment comes at a moment of coordinated restructuring across Athletic’s technical staff, with the first team under Edin Terzic on a two-year contract and the reserve side now led by Llopis for the same period. This parallel stability is intended to align strategic objectives across levels of the club.
Athletic’s model prioritizes continuity and a clear pathway from Lezama to San Mamés, and the club’s leadership appears to be consolidating that pathway with Llopis’s promotion. The move signals confidence in internal development and in coaching profiles that have proven successful within the club framework.
Athletic will expect Bittor Llopis to translate his track record at Basconia and in youth competitions into consistent performances at the Primera RFEF level while producing players ready for first-team football.
