Marcelino announces that he is leaving the Athletic bench

After a season and a half at the helm of the team, Marcelino García Toral will not continue next season as coach of Athletic Club, as announced by the Spaniard at a press conference held at the San Mamés stadium.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
24 May 2022 Tuesday 06:14
23 Reads
Marcelino announces that he is leaving the Athletic bench

After a season and a half at the helm of the team, Marcelino García Toral will not continue next season as coach of Athletic Club, as announced by the Spaniard at a press conference held at the San Mamés stadium.

"We believe that the time has come to step aside and close a beautiful story. We are proud to have enjoyed the privilege of coaching Athletic Club. For us, the time has come to give thanks and say goodbye," he said before the media the coach, who did not have the support of the three candidates for the presidency of the club.

On the other hand, he did have the support of the current president, Aitor Elizegi, who opted for Villaviciosa's last year. "We have agreed on the way we understand this club, its loyalty, it is a stage that leaves us with a stronger, safer team," explained the still top president of the club, who is not running for re-election.

Marcelino signed for Athletic on January 3, 2021 after the dismissal that same day of Gaizka Garitano. Two weeks later, in his third game, he won the Super Cup after beating Real Madrid in the semi-final and Barcelona in the final.

In April of last year he led the rojiblanco team in the two Cup finals, the one in 2020 postponed due to the pandemic and the one in 2021, falling in both against Real Sociedad (0-1) and Barcelona (0-4). Marcelino has added in this year and a half a total of 75 official matches (59 in the League, 12 in the Cup and 4 in the Super Cup) with a balance of 28 wins, 26 draws and 21 losses.

This season, Athletic has been eighth in the league competition, remaining for the fifth consecutive season without a European ticket, Cup semifinalist after having dropped Barça and Real Madrid and Super Cup finalist after beating Atlético de Madrid in the semifinals and losing the end with Real Madrid.