Newell's Old Boys confirm death of ex-Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa's friend and former assistant

The Rosario club released a statement saying: “Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys regrets to inform the death of Horacio García, who since November of last year served as director of soccer in the area of ​​the professional squad. The institution expresses its deepest regret and sends sincere condolences to family, friends and people close to Horacio, at this hard and sad moment. Rest in peace.”

Newell’s is the club of Bielsa’s hometown and where his career as a manager began, following his playing days with The Lepers. García’s death has come as a shock to the Argentine top flight outfit, where Gabriel Heinze is the current head coach. The sporting director was pictured alongside the club’s president Ignacio Astore and new signing Bruno Pittón in a January 1 announcement. According to TyC, the man responsible for assessing new signings at Estadio Marcelo A. Bielsa fell victim to a heart attack in the early hours of Monday morning.

García and Bielsa have known each other for decades and the pair worked together when the latter took charge of both Vélez Sarsfield, when they won the 1998 Clausura title, and the Chilean national team.

Speaking when he took up his position at Newell’s in 2022, García said: “Marcelo Bielsa since 1985 is much more than a friend, he is an example.”

It was García’s recommendation that led Bielsa to meeting and then employing Pablo Quiroga, who became his right hand man and worked with him at every job from the Chile role onwards. Quiroga formed an important part of Bielsa’s ‘iron circle’ staff at Leeds United as they achieved promotion to the Premier League.