Manolo Márquez departs Mumbai City FC after four ISL matches amid recruitment and injury disputes
Manolo Márquez has left Mumbai City FC after four matches of the Indian Super League 2026-27 season, a tenure described in the report as one of the shortest managerial stints in ISL history. The Spaniard’s exit followed prolonged disagreements with the club’s leadership over recruitment, squad depth and the quality of key positions.
Marquez’s departure was not presented as a sudden decision: he reportedly informed the club of his desire to leave following the opening game of the campaign and the relationship between him and Mumbai City’s management had been strained from the outset. The coach had previously worked with Mumbai City Director of Football Sujay Sharma at Hyderabad FC, where they won the ISL title in 2021-22, and Sharma moved to Mumbai City in 2022. Marquez has a track record in Indian football with spells at Hyderabad FC and FC Goa, and publicly stated his view that “In three years, you need to change the coach or change the players.”
Concerns about preparation and squad quality featured in Marquez’s public comments early in the season after approximately 45 days of pre-season training, when he criticised the level of opposition in friendlies. He said, “It was an unrealistic pre-season,” adding that they had played “very, very, very, very weak teams.” After the opening fixture he also questioned the team’s mentality, stating, “The lack of character in this team is very, very clear.”
Injuries to several important players exacerbated the problems Marquez had identified, with Vikram Partap Singh suffering a serious injury after returning from suspension, Wilmar Jordan Gil picking up a hamstring problem and Leandro Otormin suffering a long-term injury. Mumbai entered the season with five foreign players, one fewer than the maximum permitted under league regulations, and those absences forced Marquez to field an entirely Indian attacking line-up on occasion. He publicly expressed displeasure at having to deploy Nathan Rodrigues on the left wing during the press conference after the Sporting Club Delhi fixture.
Responsibility for recruitment was mixed: the foreign players eventually signed by Mumbai City were reportedly approved by Marquez, and the report states that recruitment was therefore a shared responsibility. Mumbai failed to record a victory in the four matches under Marquez, placing some onus on the coach for selections and results. The report also notes Marquez accepted the role with an understanding of the club’s financial constraints.
The timeline to separation involved both parties negotiating while Marquez continued in his role on a game-by-game basis at the club’s request, at least until the international break. A similar situation was said to have occurred during his association with the Indian national team, when he wanted termination formalities completed before travelling for an away game in Hong Kong. Ahead of the Sporting Club Delhi match he is understood to have signalled to players that it would be his final game, and he travelled to Spain immediately afterwards, with no intention of returning for the Bengaluru fixture; the exact contractual termination details have not been disclosed. Mumbai City were due to make certain payments to Marquez but the report says there is no major concern over the financial settlement and that Marquez is not seeking a payoff.
Mumbai City announced the mutual parting and Director of Football Sujay Sharma said: “As with every ISL club this season, we are navigating a new era for Indian football. In many ways, this marks a fresh start for the top tier of the Indian game. We brought Manolo to the club for his experience and track record in Indian football. Our focus now remains on supporting the first team and achieving our objectives for the ongoing season. Further updates on the squad and coaching setup will be communicated through the club’s official channels in due course.” The Islanders sit 10th with two points from four matches — their worst start to an ISL campaign in the club’s history — and the club has roughly a week to identify a replacement before the international break concludes.
Mumbai City will face Bengaluru FC at the Sree Kanteerava in Bengaluru on 20th November, with Indian international Akash Mishra leading the Islanders in the ISL 2026-27 season.