Olympique de Marseille have reached an agreement with Spanish coach Marcelino

Olympique de Marseille has reached an agreement with Spanish coach Marcelino, Radio France Sports management learned on Wednesday June 21, confirming information from RMC. The 57-year-old Spanish technician has notably been on the benches of Athletic Bilbao, Valencia and Villarreal. The Spaniard finds Pablo Longoria, the Marseille president, whom he knew in Valencia when Marcelino was the club’s coach and the second sporting director.

Marseille eyed the Argentine Marcelo Gallardo, but faced with the refusal of the former technician of River Plate, the leaders finally turned to Marcelino to succeed the Croatian Igor Tudor.

A first experience outside Spain

Marcelino had been out of a job since leaving Bilbao in the summer of 2022 (2021–2022). Former midfielder, Marseille is the first experience abroad of one who has frequented the benches of many Spanish clubs for more than 20 years. After beginning his coaching career with CD Lealtad in 1997, he promoted Recreativo Huelva to La Liga in 2006, then qualified Racing de Santander for the UEFA Cup for the first time in its history.

In January 2013, Marcelino took the reins of Villareal, with whom he returned to La Liga and which he led to 4th place in the Spanish championship during the 2015-2016 season. On the Valencia bench (2017-2019), the technician managed to bring the club back to the Champions League for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020). Winner of the King’s Cup with Valencia in 2019, Marcelino was also a finalist in the event in 2021 with Bilbao, with whom he won the Spanish Super Cup against FC Barcelona.