As if it were a modern Ulysses, José Luis Mendilibar He has navigated through the Second Division seasons, he has overcome the pitfalls of LaLiga and he has left his mark in every port he has arrived at in the Greek Super League. Everything so that now, after a Iliad as a football player and coach, occupy a throne of your own in the European football Olympus. Very few boast about it.
Born in the heart of Basque Countryin ZaldibarMendilibar has carved a career marked by resilience and the tactical ingenuity, two qualities that have served as a compass to achieve this year, for the second consecutive season, one of the most distinguished and important titles on the European continent. After falling first in the group stage of the Europa League, the Olympiacos -led from the bench by Mendilibar- Greece has been proclaimed champion of the UEFA Conference Leaguethe third category of continental football.
This achievement represents the first European title throughout the history of the club and the feat, as if that were not enough, comes hand in hand with epic. In it minute 116 and when everyone was already betting on who would win the cup on penalties. Then the Moroccan star of the Hellenic set appeared, a Ayoub El Kaabi completely gone during the previous 115 minutes. Taking advantage of a centered ball from the left that closed little by little. The striker finished at the near post and sent the ball into the back of the net to unleash the delirium of all the fans in the stadium. OPAP Arena.
All of this is the result, however, of the good work of the Mendilibar team. Since he arrived at the offices of the Greek team -at the beginning of this year-, the Basque coach has added a 70% wins. Before landing on the Georgios Karaiskakis, Olympiacos was a difficult boat to handle. Without going any further, his predecessor, the Portuguese Carlos Carvalhalit only lasted 65 days in office. After his dismissal, Mendilibar became the fourth coach of the rojiblancos this season. With the Spanish in front, the sun shines brighter than ever in Piraeus: Olympiacos competed until the last days for the Super League and, now, stands as the ‘King’ of the Conference League.
Modest player, demanding coach
As a player, Mendilibar opted for midfield. He began his professional career in the youth academy. Athletic Club. However, his participation in the first team of ‘the lions’ was limited, which led him to look for opportunities in other clubs “away from home.” Thus, Mendilibar came to play for several teams, mainly in the Second division and Second Division B from Spain. Examples of his legacy maintain the CD Logroneshe Sestao SC wave SD Lemona.
However, his playing career did not achieve great success, but it gave him a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the game, something that would be useful in his future coaching career.
This other stage also started in lower category teams. His first relevant position was in the CD Basconia, a subsidiary club of Athletic Club, where he began to build his reputation as a competent coach. However, his first great success on the bench came with the SD Eibar. In the 2004-2005 seasonMendilibar led the team to an outstanding campaign in the Second Division, coming close to promotion to LaLiga, which increased his profile and allowed him to access great positions in renowned clubs.
Thus, subsequently, the Biscayan coach had a brief and challenging period in the Athletic Club in the campaign 2005-2006. However, his time with the Bilbao team was accused of poor results. Later, he would also find success in the Real Valladolidwhich he directed in two stages (2006-2010; 2014-2015), consolidating the Pucela club in the highest national category in his first stay.
The jump in quality came between 2011 and 2013. Then, Mendilibar directed the CA Osasunawhere he once again demonstrated his ability to keep teams in the elite of Spanish football, and at Raise you. After that, in 2015I come back to the SD Eibarwhere he confirmed his longest stage and successful. He led the Basque team until 2021, becoming a key figure in its history. Under Mendilibar’s command, Eibar consolidated itself in LaLiga, exceeding expectations each season with organized and efficient football.
Mendilibar brought the seventh to Nervión
All of the above was the prelude to the call of the March 21, 2023. José Luis Mendilibar came to the rescue of a Seville in danger of relegation with the immediate purpose of salvationalthough also with the incentive at play of the Europa League. The one from Zaldívar wanted and was especially excited to debut in a European competition and it would not be for the most renowned team in this tournament.
This would be the case later, also around these dates. The Nervión team was proclaimed champion of the second continental category for the seventh time in its history under Mendilibar’s mandate. After a more than complex season, the Basque coach was able to bring out that warrior spirit that he has never lost. Although it had to be going to penalties and, of course, suffering; equaling an initial goal from Mourinho’s Roma with an own goal Mancini.
For its part, Gonzalo Montiel He scored the decisive penalty in the fourth round, just after he had to repeat it because the Italian team’s goal went ahead. Roma had already missed two, with a Bonus that is always growing at these moments. Sevilla returned for another year to show its credentials and crown itself as what it is: one of the kings of europe. This time it was Mendilibar who operated a rudder that seemed somewhat rusty and stuck at times.
Mendilibar II of Europe
The same story is written again one year later. They do not repeat the same protagonists, nor the same stadium or the same competitive dynamic. But both episodes can’t share better conductive thread. He is the cornerstone of the puzzle, a technician who consolidated his ideas and has been creating an effective game for years. José Luis Mendilibar brought to Olympiacos and Greek football at his first title on an international level. The Basque conquered the Conference League after a very close final at the stadium AEK Athens which was decided in minute 116 with a goal from the Moroccan Ayoub El Kaabi.
Olympiacos. History makers ?
The first Greek side to win a UEFA club competition ?@johnsportraits x #UECLfinal pic.twitter.com/Dq3B8TSA5N
— UEFA Europa Conference League (@europacnfleague) May 29, 2024
The cruel cross, typical of this sport, was again for the Fiorentina and his coach Vincenzo Italianothat they lost their third consecutive final after losing last season in the Coppa Italia and also in the previous edition of the Conference League against the West Ham United (1-2), with the same in extremis of Jarrod Bowen.
Spanish blood at the head of Olympiacos
Olympiacos is a club with a long tradition of Spanish coaches so far this century. The pioneer was Pep Segura, who had come to Greek football through Serra Ferrer and made the leap to Piraeus as assistant to a local coach, Takis Lemonis. After he was dismissed in March 2008, Segura became the top person in charge. He won six of the seven matches and was proclaimed champion. He also won the Cup. Although he had one more year on his contract, the Catalan coach was dismissed in favor of another Spaniard, Ernesto Valverde (2008-09), which also won the League and the Cup in a final that was decided after 34 penalty shots.
Valverde returned to Spain to sign for Villarreal. In that season, 2009-10the Olympiacos bench passed five coachesamong them Zico. The Basque coach, acclaimed upon his arrival, returned to Piraeus for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons and won again the two leagues and the two cups that he disputed, announcing his departure for personal reasons and renouncing a renewal.
The good memory of the work of Txingurri He opened the doors of the club to other Spanish technicians. In February 2013, having just left Sevilla, he arrived José Míguel González Martín del Campothat same Michel who has guided Girona to Europe this season. A month later it was proclaimed league champion five days in advance. He also won the Cup. In his second season, he won the championship again with great performance in the Champions Leagueeliminated in the round of 16 by Manchester United.
The path of the Spanish coach was wide open, to the point that to begin the 2016-17 season, the red and white club called Victor Sánchez del Amo, who had worked with Míchel in the previous stage. His experience was fleeting. The elimination in the Champions League qualifying phase cost him his job. Oscar Garcia He was the next Spanish tenant of that bench. He also had no luck, two months at the beginning of 2018, barely playing 13 matches.
Same fortune for Carlos Corberanwho in the summer of 2022 was signed by Olympiacos after his great work in the HuddersfieldEdit English, which was about to be promoted to the Premier. However, he only managed eleven games. His replacement was, in a second stage seven years later, Michelbut his second half was not good and the Madrid coach would present his resignation due to personal problems.
After another brief stay of a Spaniard, Diego Martinezlanded Mendilibar in the Piraeus club. The demand was maximum. Anything other than winning is a vital problem for the club and this would mean the dismissal of the coach. They endorse the club 79 national titles: 47 Leagues, 28 Cups and four Super Cups; a total of 17 doublets and 34 seasons participating in the Champions League. Now you have to add a new one to your resume. European featthe first in its history.
Hold on now, Greek football fans and Olympiacos fans, because in Spain it is very fashionable to say that “There are no two without three“.
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