Olympiacos (Conference League, Mendilibar)

[Unnamed Trialist]

Really wanted to comment on Mendilibar, a guy in his 60s who is not respected much but who won Europa League last year with Sevilla. Think he was the oldest coach to win his first European trophy even. 

With a team that was poor in the league, qualifying them for the Champions League this year. They fired him in the fall, he signs with Olympiacos in early 2024, and takes them to their first European cup victory, their first European trophy.

Was thinking that when they knocked out Aston Villa, destroying them really, it was two Basque coaches up against each other, that trend of successful Basque coaches we are seeing. 

Another little anecdote: Olympiacos u19s won Youth League this year, a huge statement, and rather handily vs. AC Milan. That also suggests they have some very talented youth coming up and good coaching in their academy. I saw almost all those players were Greek. 

Final little detail, how Mendilibar found former Sevilla veteran Vicente Iborra already there, he's 36, but has 4 Europa Leagues, with Sevilla in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and Villareal in 2021. You think you are on semi-retirement track and end up winning European silverware. I saw Iborra in a Cup game in fall 2022 in a small lower division stadium when he was on loan to 2nd division team Levante, and that sure seemed like a guy ready to hang them up. 

[RJB]

Nice to see new teams win, although sad for Fiorentina. But it's nice to see teams win trophies to counter the narrative of the same teams always winning. Although that seems true in the champions league, the Europa League and Conference proved otherwise this year. Well done to Olympiakos. 

[Metro]

On 5/29/2024 at 6:32 PM, Unnamed Trialist said:

Really wanted to comment on Mendilibar, a guy in his 60s who is not respected much but who won Europa League last year with Sevilla. Think he was the oldest coach to win his first European trophy even. 

With a team that was poor in the league, qualifying them for the Champions League this year. They fired him in the fall, he signs with Olympiacos in early 2024, and takes them to their first European cup victory, their first European trophy.

Was thinking that when they knocked out Aston Villa, destroying them really, it was two Basque coaches up against each other, that trend of successful Basque coaches we are seeing. 

Another little anecdote: Olympiacos u19s won Youth League this year, a huge statement, and rather handily vs. AC Milan. That also suggests they have some very talented youth coming up and good coaching in their academy. I saw almost all those players were Greek. 

Final little detail, how Mendilibar found former Sevilla veteran Vicente Iborra already there, he's 36, but has 4 Europa Leagues, with Sevilla in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and Villareal in 2021. You think you are on semi-retirement track and end up winning European silverware. I saw Iborra in a Cup game in fall 2022 in a small lower division stadium when he was on loan to 2nd division team Levante, and that sure seemed like a guy ready to hang them up. 

Mendilibar was the third manager THIS season for Olympiakos. Despite finding a club in disarray, no time to bring any players of his own, nevertheless leads a club known in Greece for its underachieving play in Europe to its first ever title.  Very impressive.