It’s safe to say that Villarreal have had a disappointing season so far. Ahead of Sunday’s match against Athletic Club, the Groguets sit in 12th place, which is well below where they have been in recent years.
Since Pacheta arrived as head coach, replacing the sacked Quique Setien back in September, Villarreal’s form has not turned around. They have won just two of their last seven La Liga matches, the latest of which came against Granada on Monday.
It appears that Villarreal bosses are unconvinced by Pacheta’s underperforming start, as plans are already being made to replace him as manager. According to Angel Garcia (via MD), Marcelino Garcia Toral has been identified as the club’s next manager, and he will succeed Pacheta at the end of the season when his contract expires. Marcelino was previously at the helm at Villarreal between 2013 and 2016, and had a largely successful time in charge.
However, Marcelino could arrive beforehand if Villarreal’s form does not pick up over the coming weeks. Considering this, Pacheta looks to be under severe pressure to keep his job for the rest of the campaign.
