700 up for Diego Simeone at Atlético Madrid
Against Deportivo Alavés in LaLiga on Saturday, the Argentine coach hits another big milestone with the Rojiblancos, but what's next?
Diego Simeone takes charge of Atlético Madrid for the 700th time on Saturday. The Argentine coach arrived amid yet another crisis for the Rojiblanos in December 2011 and there was hope that their former favourite would transform the fortunes of one of Spain’s great teams. Not only did he achieve that but, almost 13 years later, he remains at the helm.
Simeone was at the heart of Atlético Madrid’s midfield for their previous domestic success: the double-winning season in 1995-96. But the Rojiblancos endured a tumultuous time after that, dropping down to Spain’s Segunda División in 2000 and needing two seasons to make it back up. Under Quique Sánchez Flores, Atleti did win the Europa League in 2010 and reached the final of the Copa del Rey, but by 2011 the team was struggling again under Gregorio Manzano and they were without a derby win against Real Madrid since 1999.
Atlético needed a hero and Simeone was identified as a man who could transform their fortunes. The former Argentina midfielder had already enjoyed some success, winning Primera División titles with Estudiantes de La Plata and River Plate. But Atleti would be a much bigger job.
“I know the demands of Atlético,” Simeone said at his presentation. “It doesn’t scare me, it excites me like all situations that present challenges. This is just another one. We’re here to recover a bit of what we always had.” And later, he added: “We like an aggressive team, a strong team, a fighting team, a counter-attacking team. That’s what led Atléticos to identify with this glorious shirt.”
The tone and the message resonated with fans and a group of underachieving footballers. As a player, Simeone had said: “You have to play with a knife between your teeth.” It summed up his playing style: flying into challenges, straining every sinew, competing until the last breath and covering each blade of grass. The phrase would also become synonymous with his philosophy as a coach.
In half a season, Simeone steered Atlético from mid-table to fifth place in La Liga. The following year, the Rojiblancos won the Europa League. In 2013, the derby hoodoo was ended in spectacular style, with victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, at the Santiago Bernabéu of all places. In 2014, Atleti added La Liga, beating Barcelona to the title with a draw at Camp Nou on the final day. There were also two Champions League final appearances, both lost to Real in 2014 and 2016, plus a Supercopa, another Europa League title, and La Liga again in 2020-21.
It hasn’t always been fun. Simeone has faced criticism over the years for a defensive and attritional style, but his sides have always been competitive and without him, it is difficult to know where the Rojiblancos might be.
“I’m so grateful to Atlético Madrid,” Simeone said on Friday. “I feel great joy at having been able to enjoy this and at getting to 700 games.” And on the way forward, he said: “I stop to think about what we’ve done in these almost 13 years. When the team transmits what it does best: being intense, playing as a unit, whether taller or shorter... it competes well. It’s the record through this whole journey that leads to 700 games. The understanding and commitment of the players encourages us to do it and continue to do it.”
But for how long? There were reports this week that Atlético are looking for a successor in case he walks away before his current deal ends in 2027. “That’s not a question for me,” Simeone said. And on his future plans, he added: “I’m thinking about Alavés. I won’t dwell on anything else. I haven’t seen anything. I’m just thinking about how to resolve a difficult match.”
That’s Simeone. Partido a partido. Game by game. The next one is number 700 and reports about his departure in the past have only made him more determined to carry on. Given everything he has done and all he has won, it is the Argentine who will decide and the desire to win still burns brightly. Don’t be surprised if he makes it to 800, 900 or even 1,000 games in charge. In these times of quick managerial fixes, it is already some story.