It’s official: Martín Palermo will have his second stint as coach of Platense

After the departure of Walter Zunino, Platense already has a new coach. After several hours of negotiation, the management of the Calamar reached an agreement with Martín Palermo, who will have his second stint at the club with the mission of reversing the delicate football situation of the team and facing a demanding second half of the season, which will include the Torneo Clausura, Copa Argentina, and Copa Libertadores.

The confirmation came this Tuesday through the club's social media. Platense officially announced the return of the Titan, who will have a contract until December 2028, and detailed that this Wednesday he will lead his first practice at the Miraflores training ground to start preparing for the match next Saturday against Independiente in Avellaneda. Additionally, he confirmed the composition of his coaching staff: assistants Diego Cagna and Damián Leyes, and physical trainers Gastón Mendoza and Esteban Herrera.

The return of the Titan comes in a delicate context for the club. Platense is experiencing a poor start in the Torneo Clausura, where they have only accumulated one point and occupy the last place in Zone A, in addition to coming off a harsh 4-0 defeat against Talleres. That match also ended with a highly tense atmosphere following a confrontation between captain Ignacio Vázquez and two fans in the stands.

Before finalizing Palermo's return, the management attempted to hire Gustavo Costas, who ultimately rejected the proposal. After that refusal, negotiations with the club's former coach advanced quickly, and only formal details remain to officially announce his arrival.

In his first experience with the club from Vicente López in 2023, the idol of Boca reached the final of the Copa de la Liga, where he lost 1-0 to Rosario Central. During that stint, he managed 46 matches, with a record of 17 wins, 12 draws, and 17 losses.

His last coaching experience was at Fortaleza in Brazil, where he stayed from September to December 2025. There, he achieved a decent performance with 8 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses, although he could not avoid relegation, which led to his resignation. He later worked as a commentator for DSports during the 2026 World Cup, before receiving the call from the Calamar management to return to Argentine football.

Throughout his career as a head coach, Palermo also managed Olimpia from Paraguay, Aldosivi, Curicó Unido and Unión Española from Chile, Pachuca from Mexico, Arsenal, and Godoy Cruz, the club where he began his journey on the sidelines.

In addition to reversing the team's current situation in the local tournament, the new coach will face an important international challenge. Platense will compete in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores against Coquimbo Unido, with the first leg scheduled for August 12 in Vicente López and the return leg a week later in Chile.