On April 14, the dismissal of Marcelo Michel Leaño as Chivas coach was announced. The young coach had squandered his opportunity on one of the most sought-after benches in Liga MX after one of the worst success rates in the team’s history.
The Rojiblancos‘ path looked complicated, however, the work of interim coach Ricardo Cadena, for the remainder of the Clausura 2022 tournament, has brought the team back on track. Four games played and four wins led Guadalajara to qualify for the Liga MX Playoffs, where they will have to face Pumas UNAM, a team whose attention is divided between the local tournament and the Concacaf Champions League, in which they are competing for the trophy against Seattle Sounders of the MLS.
When it seemed that Chivas had found the ideal formula in a low-profile homegrown coach, the board of directors would not have the same opinion. For the upcoming tournament, they are looking to break the Liga MX market with the signing of one of the most successful coaches in the world: Marcelo Bielsa.
How close is Marcelo Bielsa to Chivas?
According to a couple of media reports, Soy Chivahermano and Record, the Chivas board has already approached Marcelo Bielsa to offer him to take the reins of the team once the team’s participation in the 2022 Clausura Tournament concludes.
According to reports, Bielsa and his team have reportedly given no deadline to respond to Guadalajara’s offer, and are in the midst of analyzing the team. It is well known that the former Leeds United and Argentina National Team manager thoroughly investigates the history, present and infrastructure of the teams he is offered to manage.
Cristian Calderon, Chivas. (Getty Images)
Marcelo Bielsa’s past in Liga MX
Working in Mexico will not be a new experience for Marcelo Bielsa, after he worked in Liga MX from 1993 to 1996, specifically with Atlas and America, curiously, the two fiercest rivals of the team he is apparently analyzing to manage, Chivas.
Bielsa served as technical director of the aforementioned Zorros and Aguilas, although he was unable to win any titles. However, he also held the positions of sports director and director of the Atlas Academy. It was during his tenure that talents such as former defender and multi-time champion with FC BarcelonaRafael Marquez, Bundesliga champion with Stuttgart Pavel Pardo and Oswaldo Sanchez made their debuts.
