Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad have appointed former Argentina international Marcelo Gallardo as their new coach.
Al-Ittihad has appointed Argentine Marcelo Gallardo as their coach until 2025 after Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked.
The Saudi Pro League club announced this on their official Twitter page, now X, on Saturday night, November 18.
Gallardo has been absent from football game for a year after leaving River Plate, during which time he was rumored to be considering offers from European teams including PSG, Monaco, Sevilla, and Napoli.
The 47-year-old former Argentina midfielder takes over from ex-Tottenham and Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Nuno was dismissed due to poor results, and the club also considered another former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui for the role, but he declined the offer in favor of a return to the Premier League.
Furthermore, reports indicate that Nuno was fired after he engaged in a confrontation with Benzema in the dressing room following a 2-0 loss in the AFC Champions League against Iraqi side Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya.
Al-Ittihad’s new boss Marcelo Gallardo has signed a contract until 2025 with with the Saudi Pro League champions with an option to extend the deal for a further two-year period until June 2027.
Gallardo will be joined by the same support team from his tenure at River Plate for his journey to Saudi Arabia.
This team includes assistants Matías Biscay and Hernán Buján, as well as physical trainers Pablo Dolce and Marcelo Tulbovitz, and goalkeeping coach César Zinelli.
Marcelo Gallardo is regarded as a great manager
Gallardo, who most recently led River Plate to their league title in 2020-21, is widely regarded as the best manager in the club’s history.
In his nine years with River Plate, he has secured 14 titles, including two Copa Libertadores victories, one of which came after defeating rivals Boca Juniors.
Additionally, he guided the team to the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2015, where they ultimately lost to Barcelona.
Before managing River Plate, Gallardo also had a successful stint with Uruguayan club Nacional.
French striker Karim Benzema captains Al-Ittihad, with former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho and former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante also on the team that currently sit fifth in the Saudi Pro League.
What’s next for Gallardo?
Gallardo is set to make his managerial debut for Al-Ittihad against Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq on November 24 at Abdullah Al Dabil Stadium in the Saudi Pro League.
It will be a challenging start for Gallardo, as Al-Ittihad is currently in fifth place, 11 points behind Al-Hilal, after 13 matches.
On 12 December, they will compete against Auckland City of New Zealand in the first round of the 2023 Club World Cup. If they progress, the Saudi club will then take on Cairo giants Al Ahly.
