Marcelino García Toral enters his third consecutive season at the helm of Villarreal with the ambition of continuing his growth as a coach alongside the Yellow Submarine. It marks his seventh season in charge of the club across two different spells—an achievement that confirms his status as one of the most successful managers in Spanish football.
After securing UEFA Champions League qualification for the second time with Villarreal, Marcelino now has the opportunity to lead the club in Europe’s elite competition once again—a special milestone in a place that holds deep meaning for him. So far, his European record in the Champions League includes six matches with two wins, two draws, and two defeats.
Last season ended on a high, with six consecutive victories and an unbeaten run of nine matches earlier in the campaign. These achievements culminated in a historic league finish that the club and its fans will enjoy in the coming months.
As the new season kicks off, Marcelino faces several challenges. In addition to competing among Europe’s best, he is close to becoming the manager with the most games in Villarreal’s history. He also has the chance to continue developing a squad capable of meeting the club’s most ambitious goals—all while writing new chapters in the story of Spanish football.
To date, Marcelino has managed 249 official matches with Villarreal—just ten short of Manuel Pellegrini’s club record. And beyond appearances, he is also on the verge of becoming the most successful coach in Villarreal’s history in terms of victories, currently tied with Pellegrini at 123 wins. In his current spell at La Cerámica, he boasts a remarkable 51% win rate, a figure that stands out given the competitiveness of LaLiga.
At 59, Marcelino is also closing in on the top ten all-time LaLiga managers by number of matches. With 442 games under his belt, he currently ranks 15th, and by season’s end, he could surpass John Toshack’s 480 matches to move up the list.
Consistency and quality define his trajectory. Among managers with over 100 games in LaLiga, Marcelino ranks 41st all-time in points per game. If the focus is limited to the 21st century, he climbs to 18th place—and even higher when excluding managers from Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético de Madrid, sitting fifth in win percentage among the rest.
With all this in mind, there is no doubt that Marcelino heads into the new season with the same drive and enthusiasm as always—ready to keep progressing and help Villarreal meet their objectives, in a year when La Cerámica once again opens its doors to the UEFA Champions League.