The Spaniard Marcelino Garcia Toral succeeds the Croatian Igor Tudor on the OM bench. CURTO DE LA TORRE / AFP
Olympique de Marseille formalized the signing of Spanish coach Marcelino on Friday evening June 23. An experienced and respected technician in the Spanish league, the former Bilbao coach is ten days away from resuming training, set for July 3. Third in the last French championship, OM must play a very important third preliminary round of the Champions League on August 8 or 9. Marcelino succeeds the Croatian Igor Tudor who will not have spent more than one season in a club sometimes nicknamed the “eat-coach”.
“The arrival of Marcelino is part of the desire to give continuity to the club’s project”commented Javier Ribalta, general manager of football at OM. “His experience will also be a considerable asset to reinforce the work undertaken last season”he added in a press release.
“With all of my staff, we are convinced by the project. I know the responsibility that this mission represents and our commitment will be total”declared for his part the new coach of OM in the press release issued by the club, which does not specify the duration of the commitment.
“A bit of a rock and roll game”
Marcelino Garcia Toral had been free since June 2022 and his departure from Athletic Bilbao where he had spent eighteen mixed months. Passed by many La Liga clubs such as Sevilla, Villarreal, Valencia and Bilbao, Marcelino won the Spanish Cup in 2019 with Valencia CF. For the first time, he will train a team outside his native country.
With his arrival on the bench, OM now find themselves with a Spanish trio at their head, since Marcelino joins the club’s president, Pablo Longoria, and his right arm Javier Ribalta, two compatriots. Pablo Longoria had underlined on June 5 that he wanted a coach capable of installing “an offensive game, a little rock and roll”.
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