Sevilla’s three candidates to replace Lopetegui as coach
Even though Sevilla are likely to qualify for the Champions League for a third season in a row, Julen Lopetegui could leave the club this summer. Worn out by the intense pressure of the job, the Basque tactician is expected to announce that he will move on from Sevilla at the end of the current campaign.
Jules Lopetegui is expected to leave Sevilla at the end of the season, @butacondelgarci reports. There are chances for the Spanish manager to part ways with the club. 🔴 #Sevilla
Lopetegui’s currently under contract until June 2024.— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 14, 2022
Sporting director Monchi is looking for a replacement and there are three names who stand out above the rest. Here comes a look at each of these candidates’ current situation and how likely a move to the Sevilla dugout is in each case.
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Diego Martinez to replace Lopetegui?
Diego Martinez has taken a year off coaching, watching 2021/22 from the sidelines after his excellent job at Granada. He has spent a lot of time in England, which sparked rumours that he could soon take a Premier League or Championship job, but now the Sevilla position is opening up and it could be the perfect fit, considering he has previously been the coach of Sevilla’s B team and an assistant with the first team.
Although Martinez has also been linked with the vacant Espanyol position, with reports of an agreement in principle between the two parties, the Sevilla head coaching job would be too good to turn down if Monchi opts for the 41-year-old.
Ernesto Valverde to replace Lopetegui?
Another coach who is currently unemployed and available is Ernesto Valverde. Since being sacked by Barcelona midway through the 2019/20 season, the Basque has taken some time away from football. He is, however, a candidate to replace Lopetegui this summer.
He is very experienced in LaLiga Santander, having coached five different clubs so far, with his most high-profile tenure coming at Barcelona, where he won the league title in 2017/18 and 2018/19, before leaving the team top of the table in 2019/20 when he was replaced by Quique Setien.
Marcelo Gallardo to replace Lopetegui?
Given all he has achieved with River Plate, Marcelo Gallardo is expected to try his luck in European football at some point in the near future and Sevilla could be an option, as this is one of the more South American-esque clubs in Europe.
In the past, Monchi has singled out Gallardo for praise, while the Argentine is also believed to be a fan of Sevilla. As his former assistant Rodrigo Sbroglia once said in an interview, when asked if he could see Gallardo at Barcelona or Real Madrid: “No, he would rather join Sevilla to try to dethrone the big two.”
Despite this flirting between Sevilla and Gallardo in the past, the Argentine is third on this list, as Martinez and Valverde are more likely candidates to take over the Sanchez Pizjuan dugout. But, this process is only just beginning and a lot could change over the coming weeks.
