Villarreal are once again contemplating a change of manager this season after a disastrous defeat to Athletic Club at home on Sunday evening.
While it ended 3-2, Alexander Sorloth and Gerard Moreno’s late double in the space of two minutes added some gloss to a defeat that was sealed in the first half hour of the match, as Los Leones ran rampant.
After just 11 games in charge, Pacheta is on the ropes according to Relevo. The former Real Valladolid coach has won four, drawn three and lost four, but the four wins were far from impressive. Two came against La Liga’s bottom two (Almeria and Granada), one against non-professional Chiclana, and the other was a tight 1-0 victory over Rennes in the Europa League, with the French side missing a penalty in stoppage time.
There is no doubt that Pacheta has not provoked the reaction President Fernando Roig had hoped for, and he is now considering another change. With the Yellow Submarine 13th, with 12 points from 12 games, and third in their Europa League group, Marcelino Garcia Toral is the candidate most closely linked with the job.
The idea was for Pacheta to stabilise things at La Ceramica, with Marcelino to come in for 2024-25. Given he will likely only take a project he believes in, they were keen to give Marcelino as much power as he wants and a preseason to work with their players. Yet the feeble start to the season has them considering an advance in his arrival. Marcelino was yet to be contacted by Villarreal ahead of the Athletic defeat, but this week that could change. Marcelo Gallardo has also been mentioned, but he too has been keen only to take on a project he believes in since leaving River Plate, and Marcelino is the one who generates consensus within the club.
Freshly free from his duties at Olympique Marseille following threats to the board from fans, Marcelino has been clear that he would next like to head to the Premier League rather than return to La Liga. He has noted that he feels it impossible for him to progress up the managerial ladder to the top three in Spain, and he may see returning to Villarreal as moving him further away from a top job. Given the situation there, success looks a tough task immediately, and catching up to the likes of Real Sociedad to compete for the Champions League looks at least a season off.
