SAN SEBASTIÁN, Spain – Real Sociedad hired American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo on Saturday with the team near the LaLiga relegation zone.
Matarazzo, born in New Jersey, last coached German club Hoffenheim from February 2023 to November 2024. Before that, he coached at Stuttgart from 2019 to 2022.
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Matarazzo, 48, has agreed to a contract until June 2027. He fills the role left vacant when Sociedad let Sergio Francisco go last weekend following a third consecutive LaLiga defeat.
Sociedad announced his hiring shortly after a 1-1 draw against bottom club Levante left the Basque Country club just two points clear of the relegation zone.
Matarazzo will inherit a club that was used to finishing near the top of LaLiga and earning places in European competitions, but which began to struggle last season when Imanol Alguacil's long period at the helm came to an end. He has also struggled to replace star midfielders Mikel Merino and Martín Zubimendi following their moves to Arsenal.
Levante also announced the incorporation of Portuguese coach Luís Castro after the draw against Sociedad.
Castro joins a Levante team that has had problems in its return to the top flight. They occupy last place, six points from safety with only two wins in 16 rounds.
The club fired Julián Calero, the coach who led them to promotion, last month after a four-match losing streak. Since then it has been led by interim coaches from within the club.
Castro, 45, was fired by French club Nantes last week and the eight-time French champions languish in 17th place in Ligue 1 out of 18 teams.
Castro earned praise after leading second-division team Dunkirk to the French Cup semi-finals last season. The minnow led Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in the semi-final before PSG recovered to win.
