A new era is beginning at Olympiacos, with Imanol Alguacil taking immediate charge of the team following José Luis Mendilibar’s departure from the “Red-and-Whites’” coaching staff.
Thursday (September 10) is essentially the 55-year-old Basque coach’s first day at Olympiacos, as upon his arrival in Athens, he is expected to head straight to the Renti training facilities and roll up his sleeves.
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Developments in Piraeus have been rapid. Olympiacos announced on Wednesday that it had parted ways with Medilibar, bringing an end to a particularly successful period, and within a few hours, it was announced that Alguacil was the man chosen to succeed him.
The selection of the former Real Sociedad coach came after two meetings held on Wednesday in Madrid. Jeffrey Moncada met with Alguacil both in the morning and in the afternoon, and following these meetings, Vangelis Marinakis ultimately chose the Basque coach.
The Piraeus club’s new head coach traveled overnight to Athens, with plans for him to head straight to Renti. In fact, Olympiacos’ training session was rescheduled for the afternoon so that it could take place under his guidance and he could meet the players for the first time.
Time is of the essence, after all, as the match against OFI looms, and Al-Ghawathil must get into game mode right away. Today’s practice will be the second and final one before the game, which means the new coach will have very little time to make his first adjustments.
The official announcement of his hiring is also expected later today, formally completing the handover on the “red-and-white” bench.
Alguacil is one of the most iconic figures in the history of Real Sociedad. A product of the club’s youth system, he came up through the academy, played for the first team, and later pursued a coaching career, eventually rising to head coach of the men’s team.
His crowning moment came with the victory in the 2019–20 Spanish Cup, and from 2018 to 2025, he built a team with a clear playing philosophy and a consistent presence in European competitions.
*photo source: AP
