Would be the first stop abroad
©IMAGO
After a break of over a year, Pellegrino Matarazzo is apparently about to return to the coaching chair. As the San Sebastián-based newspaper “Noticias de Gipuzkoa” reports, the 48-year-old is the chosen one for the vacant position at Real Sociedad and will soon be announced as the new coach. The Basques parted ways with Sergio Francisco on Sunday after just 166 days and 18 games.
Accordingly, Matarazzo was not the favorite for the job from the start, but won the open casting that the sports management had been conducting since October. The troubled club has been looking at the coaching market for some time, as Francisco has been wobbling for some time. Thiago Motta, Luis García, Xavier García Pimienta and Marco Rose were considered other candidates. The latter, who is looked after by the same agency as Matarazzo, is said to have actually been La Real’s desired solution, but his financial demands are said to be higher than what the club could offer him.
Matarazzo most recently worked at TSG Hoffenheim, where he had to leave after 67 games and a points average of 1.28. He also previously looked after VfB Stuttgart. The American-born man with Italian roots has not yet worked outside of Germany. This should now change and his internationality should help him with this. According to the report, he doesn’t speak Spanish, but he does speak Italian, which should make it easier for him to get used to it. San Sebastián is currently in 15th place in LaLiga. The cushion on the relegation zone is only one point (to the table).