Martin Demichelis has taken up his first coaching position in the Spanish top flight. The former Bayern Munich pro is tasked with saving RCD Mallorca from relegation from La Liga.
Former Bayern Munich player Martin Demichelis is the new coach of RCD Mallorca. The 45-year-old has been hired as the successor to the dismissed Jagoba Arrasate on the holiday island. His contract initially runs until the end of the season, with the option of a further season.
The club from the capital Palma, which has been continuously represented in the Spanish top flight since its promotion in the summer of 2021, currently occupies only 18th place in La Liga after a 2-0 defeat at Celta Vigo, putting it just below the ominous line. The former Argentine international is particularly well known in Germany for his time at FC Bayern Munich.
Demichelis won the German championship four times with the record champions and also reached the Champions League final with Munich in 2010, which they lost 2-0 to Inter Milan. In 2014, Demichelis was in the starting line-up for Argentina in the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro, which they narrowly lost 1-0 to Germany.
Previously with River Plate and Monterrey
This is Demichelis’ first coaching position in one of Europe’s top leagues. Previously, the former FC Bayern defender coached the U19 and second teams (2019 to 2022). In his home country, he was under contract with River Plate, and in Mexico with CF Monterrey.
In the upcoming match against Real Sociedad, coached by Pellegrino Matarazzo, on Saturday (6:30 p.m.), Gustavo Siviero, coach of the second team, will still be in charge. All in all, Demichelis has a tricky task ahead of him. After three consecutive defeats, Mallorca are one point behind 17th place, which is safe from relegation, with 24 points. Only the promoted teams UD Levante (18) and Real Oviedo (17) are currently worse off.
Demichelis knows La Liga well as a player. After many years in Munich, he spent the latter part of his career mainly at Malaga CF and briefly at Espanyol Barcelona. In 2017, the 51-time Argentine international ended his playing career with a second spell at Malaga in Andalusia.
