Diego Simeone’s record tenure at Atletico could reach a turning point

By Graham Ruthven

Atlético Madrid’s recent form is confusing. In their last four outings, Diego Simeone’s side produced two of their two best performances of the entire season, first beating Real Betis 5-0 before scoring four against Barcelona in a Copa del Rey complete dismantling of the Spanish champions.

Between these two victories, however, are two of Atleti’s worst performances of the season so far. Indeed, the 1-0 home defeat to Real Betis and Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano were a low point for the capital club, not only for this season, but potentially for the entire Simeone era.

Simeone is under pressure to prove he is still the right man for the job at Atlético Madrid. December marked 14 years since the former midfielder’s arrival at the club and few managers have been as influential as him during that period. Simeone made Atleti the institution it is today.

However, more and more evidence is mounting that Simeone may have pushed Los Colchoneros as far as he could. Atleti find themselves stuck in no-man’s land, somewhere between Barcelona and Real Madrid, at the top of Spanish football and the rest of the chasing pack. Simeone seems to be running out of ideas to bridge the gap.

Not so long ago, “Cholismo” was the philosophical light that guided Atlético Madrid. Simeone’s conservative approach may not have been tolerated at some other clubs, but after spending so many years on the outside, Atleti supporters idolized their manager for the way he nurtured the underdogs.

But lately, “Cholismo” hasn’t been as effective. Atlético Madrid has become a soft player. Their mentality has been called into question and Simeone is no longer the locker room galvanizer he once was. In fact, some reports have even speculated that Simeone has fallen out with a number of key players this season.

Simeone may not be entirely to blame for all this. It’s possible that the modern game has left him behind, as it did Arsène Wenger towards the end of his tenure at Arsenal. Like Simeone, he shaped an elite club in his image only for his methods to lose their potency. Wenger fell behind.

At least Simeone tried to evolve. More than once he promised a change of style. He promised a more expansive and attacking style of play, even adapting Atleti’s transfer strategy accordingly. But each time, Simeone returns to what he knows best. Its default setting even if it no longer works as well.

The arrival of Ademola Lookman in January gave Simeone another attacking tool to use, but even though the Nigerian has shown glimpses of his brilliance for his new team, including on his Atlético Madrid debut, the team’s balance remains poor. The midfield lacks creativity and the defense is wide open.

Until recently, Simeone had full control of the Metropolitano stadium. However, the takeover of Atlético Madrid by Apollo Sports Capital in November changed the situation. The new owners are ambitious and would like Atleti to play more exciting football.

Simeone has expressed his own thoughts on what could happen to him after Atleti. He publicly revealed his desire to one day coach Inter Milan where he enjoyed success as a player. “It doesn’t depend on me, but in my coaching career I imagine a time on the Inter bench,” Simeone said when asked if San Siro could be a future destination.

Several Premier League clubs have been linked with Simeone in the past. There was a time when countless teams would have moved heaven and earth to secure the Argentine previously considered a force of nature. However, doubts now remain about its compatibility with modern gaming.

This season could still be a success for Atlético Madrid. They have one foot in the Copa del Rey final after their semi-final first-leg demolition of Barcelona and are favorites to progress to the Champions League last 16 against Club Brugge. A third place in La Liga wouldn’t be disastrous either – Atleti haven’t finished higher than that since winning the title in 2021.

And yet, Atlético Madrid has the right to wonder if it is capable of doing more. Apollo expects a return on investment of $2.5 billion and will only achieve this if Atleti can compete and beat the best in Spanish and European football. The truth, however, is that Simeone’s team may be nowhere near that level and he may not be the manager best placed to get them there.

(Images from IMAGO)

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