Sevilla FC has confirmed the appointment of José Luis Mendilibar as first-team coach.
The Basque coach has signed a contract until the end of the season, 30th June, and will take charge of his first training session this evening.
Mendilibar, from Zaldibar in the Province of Vizcaya, began coaching at Athletic Club’s academy, and has gone on to manage in 448 top-flight matches, with almost half coming in a six-season spell at SD Eibar.
He joined third-tier side UD Lanzarote in 2002, and very nearly secured promotion in the 2003/04 season after winning their group. He then moved up to the Second Division for his first spell at SD Eibar. He very nearly secured their first-ever promotion to the top-flight, missing out by one place and three points.
Mendilibar then joined fellow Basque side Athletic Club ahead of the 2005/06 season, but he went on to take charge of just thirteen matches. A move to second-tier Real Valladolid came the following season, and he secured promotion with eight games to spare. He would stay with the Pucelanos until February 2010.
Just over a year later, CA Osasuna came calling, and he went on to manage 102 top-flight matches before his spell in charge came to a close in September 2013. He then had a brief spell in charge of Levante UD.
Mendilibar’s most successful stint as manager was his second spell at SD Eibar. Joining ahead of the 2015/16 season, he kept the team in LaLiga for six straight seasons, before eventually suffering relegation in the 2020/21 season. His last job was at Deportivo Alavés last season, managing the team for twelve matches in the middle of the season.
In his 448 top-flight matches, he has a record of 128 wins, 125 draws, and 195 defeats.
