Marcelino, miracle man of Villarreal, takes ‘village’ to Champions League | La Liga

Villarreal had given every thing all season when with one sport left the roof fell in on them, however not like that. It had been 10 lengthy, laborious months of “solidarity and dedication … methodology, work, honesty and dedication”, their supervisor mentioned, but this was no late lament, all that for nothing; as an alternative, this was reward and launch, “time to take pleasure in it”, to let go, so that they did. Exterior at Montjuïc, Barcelona had begun their social gathering, even 2025’s first league defeat and killjoy keeper Wojciech Szczesny saving an outrageous overhead kick from his personal son not spoiling the enjoyable; contained in the dressing room, the membership from the small city 200 miles south had begun theirs too, and nothing might destroy this both. Somebody put La Morocha on and the gamers had been bouncing about, drumming the rhythm on the ceiling when, in one other triumph for affordable building, the primary beam got here down. Captain Juan Foyth, wanting like a child who’d put a soccer via the neighbour’s window, raised his arm to guard his teammates, quietly laid it to at least one aspect, they usually carried on.

The observe was modified, Handel now, they usually lined up. Some tipped their heads again, gazing on the ceiling they’d damaged. Others put fingers on hearts. Most laughed. All of them scatted and sang, at the very least the phrase they knew: perhaps not die meister, perhaps not die besten or les grandes équipes, and positively not eine grosse sportliche veranstaltung, however definitely the champions. The flag they carried learn “the village needs the Champions League” and now they’d it. Villarreal, the group from the place whose inhabitants might match into Montjuïc, had come to Catalonia, handed the newly topped champions a guard of honour after which overwhelmed them 3-2, helped by Barça’s hangovers, to safe fifth and a return to Europe’s greatest competitors with per week to spare. The season, Santi Comesaña mentioned, had been “nearly good”.

“Again on 10 July, few individuals thought we might end within the Champions League,” the supervisor, Marcelino García Toral, mentioned. That wasn’t really true; a lot predicted this, and even higher. Comesaña’s “nearly” mentioned as a lot: it was a pity, he admitted, that Villarreal can’t end fourth, which might have additionally given them entry to the Tremendous Cup. As a substitute, Athletic Membership will. Solely Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético have larger budgets than Villarreal. They completed final season with two defeats in 18, then signed 10 gamers. Nobody exterior the Large Two has a footballer higher than Álex Baena. They’d no European competitors to distract them, enjoying a dozen video games fewer than Athletic and Betis. And this isn’t the primary time they’ve certified for the Champions League; it’s the fifth.

It wasn’t the primary time that Marcelino had, both. It’s not even the primary time he has with Villarreal. Possibly this time, he had joked to associates after they beat Leganés 3-0 final week, he’ll really be allowed to expertise it. And that was the purpose. Each factors, in truth. The truth that it was Marcelino was a cause to belief in Villarreal being the most effective of Spain’s different groups. That is the person who introduced Actual Zaragoza from the second division to the primary, took Recreativo de Huelva up and into eighth, their best-ever end, and certified Racing Santander for Europe the one time of their historical past. He turned Valencia round, ending fourth two years operating and gained the cup. Then he went to 2 Copa del Rey finals with Athletic Membership (albeit the primary belonged to Gaizka Garitano, actually) and gained the Tremendous Cup. And the final time he was at Villarreal, he took them from the second division to a Europa League semi-final and again into the Champions League, satisfaction and place restored in solely three years.

After which they sacked him, per week earlier than the season started.

It took six years and loads of soul looking out, loads of bridges rebuilt for Marcelino to return. It took a disaster on the membership too, for them to wish him and him to wish to assist. And that’s the opposite level: why this felt particular to him, one thing deeper there, why he might discuss tales of the surprising, of accomplishment; why Champions League qualification is therapeutic: not only a hope for the long run however a fixing of the previous, all effectively with the world. When Villarreal sacked Marcelino in August 2016, the membership’s proprietor Fernando Roig had described it as a painful determination however one which needed to be made. Once they known as Fran Escriba to take over, he was on his means right down to get an ice-cream. He hadn’t been anticipating to obtain a name and Villarreal hadn’t anticipated to make one.

There had been a storm after Villarreal had been defeated by struggling Sporting Gijon – Marcelino’s native membership, the one he helps, performed for, coached and is most related to – and his spouse had posted a message on social media saying “our work right here is completed, we depart you within the first division”. That had damage Roig, damaging supervisor and membership. A divide had opened up and the connection was tense with Roig’s son, the membership’s CEO. Within the dressing room there have been difficulties too, notably with Mateo Musacchio, Marcelino later admitting: “There was one participant with who I couldn’t coexist.” When he successfully gave an ultimatum, the membership selected the gamers over the coach.

For some time, Escribá’s arrival had a liberating impact: Marcelino might be demanding, overwhelming. For a time, the stress eased, the ambiance too. He lasted a 12 months. Javier Calleja got here, was sacked, and got here again once more six weeks later. Unai Emery arrived as an improve, gained the Europa League and departed for Aston Villa. Quique Setién completed fifth after which was sacked simply 4 weeks into the next season, his lament a well-recognized one: the membership, he felt, had chosen the dressing room. When José Rojo Martín, “Pacheta”, took over, he might hardly imagine his luck however quickly noticed how superficial that was: there was a lot expertise, it wouldn’t take a lot to be a good group. He was gone in two months, defeated. He had gained one among eight league video games.

It was November 2023. Over time, José Manuel Llaneza, the person who had constructed the membership with Roig, had intervened to fix the connection, search some rapprochement between Marcelino and the Roigs. Slowly, they’d began speaking once more, just a little affection allowed, excuses discovered to contact one another. When Marcelino had a severe automobile crash at Christmas in 2017, that introduced perspective; when Llaneza handed away in 2022, there was heat, wounds therapeutic via mutual help. When Villarreal contacted Marcelino now – professionally this time, though this was a chance to make amends personally – he had escaped the disaster at Marseille and turned down Sevilla. His situation for returning was easy: we’re not going to argue.

“Some individuals name me Marcelino,” Marcelino mentioned at his presentation. “Some name me Marcelino García Toral. Those that know me effectively are inclined to name me Marce. My identify shouldn’t be Saviour. And my surname is nor Miracles.” And, sure, Saviour Miracles – Salvador Milagros – may very well be an actual identify in Spanish. And, no, he was not. However nor was he thus far off.

Villarreal had been thirteenth, they’d 12 factors from 12 video games. Defensively they had been struggling badly. There have been accidents, European video games including to the pressure. They had been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by third-tier Unionistas in January, which was embarrassing however in all probability helped; there was time to coach, focus turned to stopping the bleeding. On the different finish, nobody offered extra assists than Baena. Requested what Marcelino calls for of him, Baena replied merely: “That I don’t stroll.” Alexander Sørloth scored 9 within the final eight weeks, 15 within the final 16. Villarreal beat Barcelona, drew with Actual Madrid and misplaced twice within the final 18, ending simply in need of a European place.

Then this summer time, 16 gamers went together with Sørloth, a shift in group dynamics in addition to model. As soon as which may have been a supply of stress, disagreements. However classes have been realized and this was going to be extra like a Marcelino group, extra his. There was a transfer in direction of athleticism, even peak: direct, counterattacking, arrange in 4-4-2, with one winger coming in, the opposite going out. Thierno Barry got here for €13.5m, Logan Costa for €17m. Nicolas Pépé and Pape Gueye had been free. So too Sergi Cardona; no full-back has extra assists. Tea-loving Ayoze Pérez was the signing of the summer time at €4m, Marcelino making him extra of a centre-forward, from the place he has 19 league objectives. Baena, who spent 11 hours agonising over a Saudi Arabian supply in January, determined to remain: nobody has created extra probabilities. “He’s very, very, superb” Pérez says. “The power he has to seek out you is unimaginable; as quickly as he will get the ball I simply have to maneuver and he reaches me.”

Collectively, they had been bouncing about Montjuïc on Sunday night time whereas Villarreal put up a tweet of their supervisor, standing there all AI, decked in gold holding the Champions League ball. There have been no phrases, simply his identify: Salvador Milagros.

“Few thought this on 10 July, however we deliberate effectively, constructed effectively, and labored very laborious,” Marcelino mentioned. “Final 12 months was very tough: we got here into a sophisticated scenario however we had been satisfied we might flip it round and between us all we’ve; I wish to say thanks to everybody. A 12 months in the past, we had been scared the group was happening however this can be a good membership, very effectively managed. The second half of final season our numbers had been virtually Champions League numbers. We did a large restructuring and we bought it proper. The secret is having good gamers who’re additionally good individuals. These are the values it’s essential to make a group … and it’s all the time the groups that obtain their goals. This implies so much to the workers: thrice we’ve certified for the Champions League, and we solely bought to take pleasure in it as soon as. We hope we will take pleasure in this one.”