Mumbai, 06 November (H.S.): Mumbai City FC and former India head coach Manolo Márquez have mutually agreed to part ways following the club’s disappointing start to the 2026-27 Indian Super League (ISL) season.

The club officially announced the decision on Friday. Márquez, who previously served as head coach of Hyderabad FC and the Indian national football team, had taken charge of Mumbai City FC ahead of the current campaign.

Mumbai City began its season with a defeat against Churchill Brothers. The Islanders were subsequently stunned by Sporting Club Delhi on their home turf. The team managed to secure draws in its other two fixtures against Kerala Blasters and Punjab FC.

In an official statement, the club’s Director of Football, Sujay Sharma, said, “Like every other club in the ISL this season, we too are navigating a new phase in Indian football. In many ways, this marks a fresh beginning for the highest level of the sport in the country.”

He added, “We brought Manolo on board in view of his experience and achievements in Indian football. Our entire focus now is on supporting the first team and achieving our objectives for the ongoing season. Further updates regarding the team and the coaching setup will be communicated through the club’s official channels at the appropriate time.”

Márquez guided Hyderabad FC to their first and, so far, only ISL title in 2022. He subsequently played a key role in helping FC Goa win back-to-back Super Cup titles in the 2025 and 2025-26 seasons. However, his tenure at Mumbai City did not get off to the expected start.

Following the opening defeat against Churchill Brothers, Márquez had expressed his frustration over the lack of adequate pre-season fixtures to prepare the team for the campaign. Speaking to broadcasters after the match, the Spanish coach said, “Our pre-season was a joke. The club could not organise even one strong match. All the games we played were, in a way, false tests. This was our first match against a strong team and, unfortunately, we lost.”

Márquez’s departure from Mumbai City also brings to an end his six-year coaching association with Indian football, which began in 2020. During this period, he achieved several significant milestones at the club level and also had a stint as head coach of the Indian national team.

During his relatively brief spell in charge of the national side, the Blue Tigers registered a victory over the Maldives in an international friendly. However, after failing to secure wins in competitive fixtures, Márquez eventually stepped down from the position by mutual agreement.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar