The Asturian coach Marcelino García Toral has entered the list of possible replacements for José Luis Mendilibar in Olympiacos after the Greek team was eliminated in the Champions League qualification by NEC Nijmegen. The Asturian is currently available and is a candidate alongside Éder Sarabia, although the club has not yet decided to dismiss Mendilibar. The situation of the Basque coach changed after the match played on August 11, when Olympiacos fell to NEC in extra time, thus missing out on the next qualifying round of the Champions League. The outcome has led the sports management to explore possible alternatives before the start of the domestic competition in Greece. Marcelino García Toral emerges as an option at Olympiacos. According to information from Matteo Moretto, Marcelino García Toral is one of the coaches being considered if a change in the coaching position eventually occurs. The Asturian is available after concluding his second spell at Villarreal CF and would not require negotiations with another club. Olympiacos is also considering Éder Sarabia, a 45-year-old coach who left Elche at the end of the previous season. Both coaches are currently free agents, allowing the Piraeus club to directly negotiate their contractual terms should they decide on a change. Marcelino's candidacy comes after several months of uncertainty about his future. The Spanish coach has been awaiting a new opportunity since leaving Villarreal CF, and his availability makes it possible for him to join immediately if the Greek club decides to make a move. José Luis Mendilibar awaits the club's decision. The emergence of candidates does not necessarily mean that José Luis Mendilibar will be dismissed. Olympiacos is only considering scenarios after the European exit, and the coach continues to lead the team while the board evaluates the sporting implications of the outcome. Mendilibar's context also includes the weight of his past achievements. The coach led Olympiacos to win the 2024 Conference League, the club's first European title, by defeating Fiorentina in the final. The elimination against NEC has now altered the situation. Olympiacos took the lead through Ayoub El Kaabi, but the Dutch side equalized and eventually prevailed in extra time after the Greeks were reduced to ten men. For Marcelino García Toral, accepting the position would mean an immediate return to coaching and facing his first experience in the Greek league. Alternatively, he could continue waiting for other opportunities, having previously expressed interest in coaching in the Premier League someday. The next move lies with Olympiacos. As long as José Luis Mendilibar remains in charge, there will be no definitive negotiation with any replacement. However, if the club decides to make a change, Marcelino García Toral and Éder Sarabia are currently the two Spanish options being considered to take over the team. The Villarreal CF is currently in third place in the league, with 61 points, 19 wins, 4 draws, and 8 losses in 31 games, and has scored 56 goals and conceded 36 in the current season. The goal difference is +20. The team is 18 points behind the leaders of Barcelona. Currently, Ayoze Pérez, Willy Kambwala, Denis Suárez, Diego Conde, and Gerard Moreno are injured.