Internal war at Athletic: Players take a stand and refuse to speak to the press in protest against club decisions Athletic Club have made a poor start to the season. The Lions have lost their first two LaLiga matches (1–3 against Sevilla and 2–0 against Barcelona) at the beginning of the Terzic era and, on top of that, are experiencing an internal dispute between the players and the club. The latest decision made by president Jon Uriarte was to withdraw the six complimentary tickets that players received for every match at San Mamés. Following Thursday's defeat to Barcelona at Camp Nou, the players took a stand and refused to speak to the media after the match. Post-match media appearances are an obligation for all clubs, meaning the decision will affect the financial bonus that all teams receive at the end of the season. «“The players are not going to speak to the media. This is a decision the players have made because of an internal problem within the club. The manager, who has nothing to do with the matter, will not make any statements about it,”» the club's press department announced seconds before Terzic held his post-match press conference at Camp Nou. The players' refusal to speak to the media was a protest against several decisions made by Jon Uriarte's board, the latest being the removal of the six complimentary tickets that players received for matches at San Mamés. The players' silence toward the press represents a major blow to Jon Uriarte, who since taking office has placed significant importance on the club's financial side and the high revenues it has generated, including from allowing television cameras into the dressing room and from players' media appearances. For now, it is unknown how long the players' protest will continue. However, several interviews had already been scheduled and have now been postponed indefinitely.   submitted by   /u/IndividualPleasant23 [link]   [comments]