Villarreal Club officially announced its separation from coach Marcelino García Toral at the end of the current season, in a surprising move that came directly after achieving a major accomplishment by qualifying for the Champions League for the next season.

The club stated in an official announcement that the decision was made by mutual agreement between both parties, expressing gratitude to the coach and his staff for leading the team with great professionalism and commitment. It was emphasized that Marcelino left a clear mark on the club's development during his tenure with the "Yellow Submarine."

This departure marks the end of the Spanish coach's second tenure with Villarreal, where he led the team between 2023 and 2026, having previously managed the club from 2013 to 2016. He later became the coach with the most matches in the club's history, with nearly 300 games, alongside achieving a notable record in the number of victories.

Despite the decision to part ways, Marcelino leaves the team at the peak of success, having successfully led Villarreal to qualify for the Champions League for the second consecutive season (2025 and 2026), a historic achievement unprecedented in the club's history.

During his tenure with the team, the coach restored stability and a competitive identity to Villarreal, securing European participation for them several times. He also previously led them to the Europa League semi-finals, which reinforced his status as one of the most prominent coaches in the club's history.

The departure of Marcelino opens the door to a new phase at Villarreal, with anticipation surrounding the identity of the next coach, while his legacy remains as one of the most successful chapters in the club's history, especially since he chose to leave at the peak of achievement, not after a decline in results.