Molist returns to Muñoz Pérez, where Manolo turned disaster into a miracle

From Nightmare to Miracle: Xavi Molist and Manolo Sánchez—Two Opposing Paths on the CD Estepona Bench

This Saturday (9:00 p.m.), the Francisco Muñoz Pérez Stadium will be the setting for a reunion with much more at stake than just the first three points of the season. Xavi Molist will return to Estepona, but this time he’ll be sitting on the visitors’ bench for Xerez CD. Facing him will be Manolo Sánchez, the coach who took the reins of the red-and-white squad after the Catalan coach was fired and who, months later, achieved what seemed impossible: keeping CD Estepona in the Segunda Federación.

THE WORST OF NIGHTMARES

Xavi Molist’s stint in Estepona was, quite simply, one to forget. The Girona-born coach lasted barely nine matches at the helm of the Costa del Sol team and left with a devastating record: one win and eight losses. Not even the victory over Atlético Malagueño could prevent his time on the Rojillo bench from being marked by a dynamic that ultimately proved unsustainable.

THE TURNING POINT: MANOLO SÁNCHEZ ARRIVES

Manolo Sánchez arrived in December, with CD Estepona in a critical situation. The team had barely accumulated seven points after 14 matchdays and was in second-to-last place in the standings. From that point on, a fabulous comeback began that would ultimately take the red-and-white squad to the relegation playoff and, subsequently, secure their place in the league.

With lively and courageous soccer, a clear and compelling message, and a strong appeal to a sense of belonging, he achieved spectacular results: ten wins, seven draws, and only three losses. 37 points out of a possible 60. A true heroic feat.

The Marbella-born coach ultimately pulled off the miracle of staying up in the relegation playoff against Real Madrid C. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, CD Estepona sealed the series with a resounding 3-1 victory at the Muñoz Pérez, on an unforgettable night for all Estepona fans.

While Molist’s departure left CD Estepona on the brink of the abyss, the arrival of Manolo Sánchez marked the beginning of a radical transformation. Although his start wasn’t the most promising, the Marbella-born coach ended up leading one of the greatest feats in the club’s recent history.

THE REUNION OF TWO OPPOSING STORIES

Just a few months later, their paths cross once again. This time, Molist returns to the place where his adventure ended in the worst possible way. He does so now at the helm of a new project, with new expectations and an ambitious goal: to lead Xerez CD to the Primera Federación.

Manolo Sánchez, for his part, is facing his second season at the helm of the red-and-white team, after securing the team’s survival when it seemed doomed to the abyss.

This Saturday, Xavi Molist will return to the place where he hit rock bottom; Manolo Sánchez, to the place where he turned the impossible into reality. Soccer, capricious as ever, has brought about a reunion between the most bitter past and the most exciting present in a long time.