Madrid (AFP)
Diego Simeone victim of wear and tear: in office since 2011, the Atlético Madrid coach is going through his most difficult season on the "Colchoneros" bench and has everything to fear on Tuesday (9:00 pm) in the round of 16 first leg of the League champions against tenant Liverpool.
In the fight not to be ejected from European places in La Liga, defeated by Real in the Madrid derby and in the Spanish Super Cup final ... The start of 2020 at Atlético is a nightmare and a continental rout could worsen the situation, placing "El Cholo" Simeone on an ejection seat.
At the end of January, the elimination in the round of 16 of the King's Cup against a Spanish D3 club (Cultural Leonesa, 2-1 ap) knocked out the people of Madrid. To the point that the general manager of the club Miguel Angel Gil Marin had to fly to the aid of the management and the players to put out the fire.
"We must remain responsible, and take into account (...) everything that we have already succeeded as a club, with this staff and this team," wrote the manager in a letter to the supporters.
A way of remembering how Diego Simeone transfigured Atlético, dying on his arrival in late 2011.
With the "Cholo" on the bench, the "Atleti" reached twice the final of the Champions League (2014, 2016) and garnered a Liga (2014), a King's Cup (2013), a Super Cup '' Spain (2014), two Europa Leagues (2012, 2018) and two European Super Cups (2012, 2018) ...
- Worst attack of the Simeone era -
But after more than eight years, the Simeone project is showing signs of fatigue.
Atlético is today in 4th place in the Spanish Championship (40 pts), 13 points behind the leader merengue. Or its worst total at this stage of the season under the "Cholo" era (only two wins in eight matches in 2020, and 10 draws conceded since the start of the season).
A dismal start to the season, marked by the departure of emblematic players during the summer (Antoine Griezmann, Diego Godin, Filipe Luis ...), quickly convinced Simeone to speak of a "transition season", while the offensive game of Atlético still hasn't managed to oil its cogs ...
Like the Portuguese nugget Joao Felix (20 years old), recruited last summer in Benfica for 126 million euros, but who does not manage to find his marks at Atlético.
The presence of the young Portuguese, victim of a "muscular injury to the right leg during the match against Leganes" on January 26, as indicated by the club, then sick with angina which prevented him from training this week , is still uncertain for Tuesday.
Add to that the absence of Diego Costa (operated on for a cervical disc herniation at the end of November) and the aborted transfer of Edinson Cavani to the winter transfer window, and you get the worst attack of the Atlético of the Simeone era ( only 25 goals scored in La Liga). What to worry about, faced with the formidable defensive intensity of Liverpool.
- A shaken tandem -
Despite these difficulties, the players continue to display an unwavering support towards their coach ... Contrary to those around him: according to the Spanish press, German "Mono" Burgos, faithful right-hand man of "Cholo", would have been interested in the post of N. 1 ...
"We have known each other for 25 years, he is a friend, we have worked together for 19 years and, when he feels the need to answer for his actions (...) he will do it himself", a swept Simeone at a press conference last week.
With goals lowered in La Liga, Atlético will have to fight until the end to try to make their way to the Champions League, which has become a crucial source of income for a club that has invested heavily, especially to build its Metropolitano stadium in eastern Madrid (€ 310 million spent).
Icon of the "Atleti" as a player then as a technician, Diego Simeone has long enjoyed unfailing immunity. But his state of grace may be coming to an end, especially in the event of a poor performance against Liverpool ...
© 2020 AFP