Two different cups in two seasons, always at the expense of Italian teams. A year ago, 17 games were enough for him to lead Sevilla to the Europa League, beating Juventus in the semi-final and Roma in the final; this time he needed 23 to lead Olympiacos to an even more legendary feat.
Jose Luis Mendilibar he is the hero of Athens, the coach capable of breaking the European curse of the Greek teams: the Athens team won the Conference League yesterday, causing great disappointment to Vincenzo Italiano and Fiorentina, who see their dream fade away at the most beautiful moment yet once.
The 63-year-old from Zaldibar thus enters the myth of European football. Only the compatriot Rafael Benitez he managed to win two different trophies in two consecutive seasons: in 2004 he led Valencia to win the UEFA Cup, while a year later he took Liverpool to the top of Europe by winning the Champions League in the unforgettable final in Istanbul.
José Luis Mendilibar becomes the second coach to win a European trophy in consecutive seasons at different clubs. Last season he won the Europa League with Sevilla, and now the Conference League with Olympiacos.
Rafa Benítez won the UEFA Cup in 2004 with Valencia, then the… https://t.co/wShnG55kp1
— The Coaches’ Voice (@CoachesVoice) May 29, 2024