All things considered, the Spaniard is—in the best possible sense—a football fanatic. It is no coincidence that many in his home country compare him to coaching legend Pep Guardiola because of his meticulous approach to the game. Spanish newspaperSport once recounted how, at his own wedding, the then 42-year-old kept his bride María waiting so he and a few guests could play a quick game of football before the reception. The marriage ultimately went ahead smoothly, despite his obsession with the beautiful game. "I've been a manager for 15 years. My wife says it's the only thing I'm really good at—and she's right," Martinez once remarked.
"It was a slightly surprising solution at first," admitted B04 sporting director Simon Rolfes when presenting the 42-year-old last Friday. Yet, as Rolfes noted, "If you look at Carles' CV and Bayer 04, you see the similarities. He shows passion, drive and ambition, and he has the courage to field young players. In France he managed a very international squad, just like we have here."
In any case, the "Bayer DNA" meshes well with the Spanish style of play, Rolfes emphasised, looking ahead to the next Spaniard on the Leverkusen bench. "When I became sporting director in 2018, it was logical to look toward Spain," Rolfes added. The success of Spanish club football over the past two decades "definitely" has a reason.