SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain — On Saturday, Real Sociedad appointed American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo as their new head coach, as the club found itself close to the LaLiga relegation zone.
Matarazzo, who hails from New Jersey, most recently managed German team Hoffenheim from February 2023 to November 2024. Prior to that, he was at the helm of Stuttgart from 2019 to 2022.
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The 48-year-old Matarazzo signed a contract extending through June 2027, taking over after Sergio Francisco was dismissed last weekend following the team’s third consecutive loss in LaLiga.
His hiring was announced shortly after a 1-1 draw against bottom-placed Levante, leaving the Basque club just two points above the relegation zone.
Matarazzo takes on a club that has historically finished in the upper echelons of LaLiga and qualified for European competitions but has been struggling since Imanol Alguacil’s lengthy tenure ended. The team has also faced difficulties in replacing standout midfielders Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi, who transferred to Arsenal.
In a related move, Levante announced the hiring of Portuguese coach Luís Castro following the draw with Sociedad.
Castro inherits a Levante side that is last in the league, with only six points separating it from safety, having managed just two wins in 16 matches since returning to the top tier.
The club parted ways with Julián Calero, who guided them to promotion, last month after a streak of four straight losses. They have since been under the temporary management of internal caretakers.
The 45-year-old Castro was recently dismissed from his role at French outfit Nantes, where the eight-time Ligue 1 champions found themselves in 17th place in an 18-team league.
Despite this setback, Castro earned acclaim for leading second-tier Dunkerque to the semifinals of the French Cup last season, where his team held a 2-0 lead against Paris Saint-Germain before ultimately losing.