Demichelis Set to Take Charge at Mallorca Until End of Season
Martín Demichelis is closing in on the Mallorca job after the club parted ways with Jagoba Arrasate, with a deal reportedly agreed for the rest of the season.
The soap opera in Palma is finally over — Mallorca have found their man, and it’s Martín Demichelis.
The Deal
It’s been a mad few days at Son Moix. Arrasate was out the door on Monday evening, and for a while there was no obvious replacement lined up — not exactly a great look. But after talks intensified rapidly, Demichelis has emerged as the bloke who’s agreed to take the job on for the remainder of the season.
And that last bit is key. Apparently, Demichelis is the only candidate who was willing to sign up for just three months — a short-term deal to get Mallorca through to the summer. No long-term commitment, no guarantees beyond June. It’s a bit of a gamble for everyone involved, but needs must when you’re in a relegation scrap.
The deal is reportedly done in all but the final formalities, with Demichelis expected to travel to the island shortly.
What About Saturday?
With Real Sociedad coming to town this weekend, there’s still the small matter of who actually sits in the dugout. Given the timing, that looks likely to be assistant Gustavo Siviero, who has already taken a couple of training sessions this week. Demichelis will presumably be watching from somewhere far less sunny while the paperwork gets sorted.
Who Is He, Then?
If you’re not fully clued up on Demichelis, here’s the quick version:
- As a player, he was proper quality. 176 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern Munich, over a century of games for Málaga in La Liga, and 106 Premier League outings for Manchester City. The man knows top-level football inside out.
- As a manager, it’s a different story. His coaching career has been less decorated — he worked with Bayern’s youth and reserve sides before 2022, then had stints with River Plate and Mexican club Monterrey.
So he’s not exactly a seasoned gaffer with a bulging CV of top-flight managerial experience. But he knows the game, he knows pressure, and — perhaps most importantly right now — he said yes when others didn’t fancy the short-term nature of the gig.
The Bigger Picture
Mallorca are in a proper difficult spot in La Liga, and whoever comes in has a serious job on their hands. Three months, a squad in need of a lift, and a set of fixtures that won’t get any easier. Demichelis walks into the fire with his eyes open, which at least suggests a bit of bottle.
Whether that’s enough to keep Mallorca up is another matter entirely. But at least the circus has a ringmaster now.