- Marcelo Gallardo’s contract with Al Ittihad has been terminated by mutual agreement.
- Gallardo’s coaching career at River Plate was highly successful, with multiple trophies won.
- Al Ittihad is currently fifth in the Saudi Pro League, which may have influenced the decision to part ways with Gallardo.
- The termination opens up new coaching opportunities for Gallardo and a search for a new manager for Al Ittihad.
Newsypeople- In a totally unexpected move, Al Ittihad and renowned Argentine coach Marcelo Gallardo have parted ways, thus bringing his tenure with the Saudi Pro League club to an end.
This happened just after days of speculation and reports indicating that this was a mutual decision by Gallardo and the board of the club. However, Argentine football expert Cesar Luis Merlo insisted that Gallardo had been informed of his dismissal, a new wrinkle to the story of how he had left.
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Gallardo’s time at Al Ittihad was inaugurated in November of 2023, when he was appointed head coach after the sacking of Portuguese coach Nuno Santo. Al Ittihad had brought in Gallardo as part of a wider plan for strengthening the coaching staff and delivering more on-pitch, given his wonderful record at River Plate and his capacity to raise the club to even higher levels.
The hopes were very much set on the appointment of Gallardo, with the board of directors having wished Gallardo and his staff all the best in what they could hopefully go on to achieve in making the dreams of Al Ittihad fans a reality. However, the circumstances around his departure suggest that the relationship between the coach and the club may have gone sour, possibly over differences in expectations or performance outcomes.
🚨🇦🇷 Marcelo Gallardo's contract will be terminated, as already agreed with Al Ittihad board. It's over, as reported yesterday.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 14, 2024
Gallardo doesn't leave to advance in talks with another club; his relationship with the club was completely broken.
He's now open to a new chapter. pic.twitter.com/F9yffzL1Q9
With his contract cancelled, Gallardo is now a free agent, and possibilities are rife for his next coaching destination. Almost immediately after the news of his Al Ittihad exit, Milan directors approached to ask about his availability, certainly raising the possibility of Gallardo joining the Rossoneri. This is Milan’s continuation in their search for a new tactician, since current manager Stefano Pioli is expected to be axed in the summer.
The potential move to Milan would mark Gallardo’s first coaching stint in Europe, a big career step for him. His previous coaching experiences were in South America alone, with impressive stints at Nacional and River Plate, before his short spell in the Saudi Pro League. Milan’s interest in Gallardo all but says they are looking for a coach with a winning record and one who can adapt well in new surroundings, qualities that Gallardo has shown in his coaching career to date.
