• Atlético de Madrid.Simeone and Joao Félix's backpack

One of the almost 40 tattoos that dot the body of José María Giménez (Toledo, Uruguay, 1995) with ink immortalizes that "motito" of his father with which he began to make his dream come true: the vehicle with which his father was going to work and led him to "practices" being a kid. In the arms of that museum of his life, his two little ones appear: Lautaro and Luciano. A handful of memories sculpted on the skin of Nervio (thus affectionately nicknamed friends in his country), who, with only 24 years and in his seventh year, will be the third captain of Atlético. A young veteran in charge of commanding the rojiblanca defense now and who, if he had not been a footballer, would be among the stoves today: «I am the typical one who looks at the recipes and makes them».

With the departure of Godin, everyone points to him as the leader of the rear. Do you like that pressure? The pressure doesn't make me nervous. But it's nice to put those gallons on my back. I take it easy and eager to continue learning and adding. Has Diego Simeone asked you something special? We talked at the end of last season, when it was known that Godin was leaving. He told me that I was one of the most veteran and that he assumed that role. He has to pass on that experience to his teammates as something natural. This year he will be wearing Godin's dorsal. 2 is a number that I like very much. I took it from youth and in the selection. Diego [Godín] had it and he was never going to ask for it, but when I knew about his departure, the first thing I did was ask him if it bothered him to keep his back. He obviously told me to take it. Do you think this Atlético is now weaker defensively? Diego [Godín] is a player who imposes when defending. He is a leader and, obviously, his absence is going to be noticed. As Lucas, Filipe or Juanfran will notice. But we have to adapt. The rear may be weaker, that will be seen, but we will try not to notice it. He is only 24 years old and you are already one of the veterans and third captain. How is it? I start my seventh season and live it with the same enthusiasm as when I arrived. The desire will never leave me, although there is much to learn. When I am the age of Godín, Juanfran or Filipe when they were the leaders of the costumes, I will probably be able to contribute even more things. He has lost almost 50 games due to injury since he came to Atlético, are you worried about so many injuries? It is the worst thing that can happen to a player. You are looking for alternatives and solutions. With the experience of injuries, one always tries to find mental and physical balance. And I think I found it. Last year I relapsed a couple of times for wanting to help the team. I was wrong and it served me as an experience. With the investment made, do you think that Atlético should be demanded a more colorful way to play? This club has always had the identity of courage and heart, as the phrase says. It is something that will not be missing. Now we have a very good team, there is a lot of speed and we can take advantage of it. Other years there was more capacity for sacrifice. This year I will not be able to count on some of his great props in the locker room like Lucas and Godín. With Lucas I have practically daily contact. He is a great boy. There were many players who were from the group and they will be greatly missed. Especially for the moments you share: you kill them, the roasts ... Those things that if you invite Trippier tells you no (laughs). But one always adapts to different circumstances. There are changes, but we must continue. It is the law of life. Is it easier to be a defense with Oblak behind? Yes, it gives you a lot of security. Having the best goalkeeper in the world gives tremendous peace of mind and allows you to have one more bullet in the game. It has saved us a lot of games.

Have you also been impressed by Joao Felix? I arrived with your age, but it cost a little less ... (laughs). But he's a boy, he's only 19 years old and you don't have to carry everything on his back. It will help us a lot because it has an incredible quality. Which of the new ones has surprised you the most? Trippier, who drinks mate. Take mate really! They are all good guys who want to add. What is left of that Giménez who arrived in Madrid with 18 years? Physically I have improved a lot, before I was a chubby (laughs) and based on workouts the body has been changing. You grow up, you become a man. I try to have the same personality as when I arrived and always be cheerful. In his first season he played only two games. He was only 18 years old. They started playing Villa, Koke, Raúl García and Adrián, they played it and I didn't see the ball. There you realize how far you are. I had to do a year of faculty with Miranda and Godín, knowing that I was going to play little, but aware of what I could win. What was your saddest night at Atlético? I had a bad time in Lisbon because I saw my teammates sacrificing themselves all year round, but in Milan I was affected because I had played almost all year but I did not play the final, it was a stick. Losing like this with the option of winning it was very hard. The closest for how the game was played was that of Turin. That night it wasn't us, it was another team playing. Life has forced him to mature very quickly. I lived with my dad and from one day to the next I had to start cooking alone, go to the supermarket alone ... It's a very important change as a boy. Then, with the help of my lady, we live and learn everything together. Those are things that are highly valued. How did you know you wanted to be a footballer? Normally the Uruguayan child is born with a ball under his arm. We love playing football and since you learn to walk, the first gift is always a soccer ball. When you grow up, you are grabbing the course you choose. And every child always likes to do it with football. And I started like any of those kids who likes the ball. And with the passing of time one is very happy to grab the ball, playing, the game comes over the weekend ... And from there on, you will see if the theme of football catches your attention. Were those beginnings hard until we got here? We (soccer players) always talk about how hard it is, especially in childhood. I remember very clearly listening to my dad go to work at five in the morning on a motorcycle, very cold and return at half past six in the afternoon. I was waiting for him with a bag that had the warm matte and he from there took me to practice (training). We returned at nine o'clock at night. I didn't miss any training because my dad always took me on the motorcycle, making that effort. That is what drives one to stay on the road. The next day we had to go to study and with fatigue, training, the cold, ... you really don't want to, but we all made the effort. Then when you go to the youth divisions and other things appear. I lived far away from where I trained, I had to take two buses. It is a sacrifice that at the beginning exhausts you a lot, but the perseverance and the desire to dedicate myself to this sport allowed me to get here.And in 2013 he called Atlético.It was something very rare. He had three weeks with the selection for the sub'20, prior to the World Cup in Turkey. We were traveling to Chile and around one o'clock in the afternoon my representative's brother calls me, who is my close friend, and he says: "'Nervio' (his nickname), come here that I want to talk to you." They had already given me a 'little car' and I went there. Along the way, the coach of the coach called me to congratulate me and tell me that they already knew what had happened. "Do not worry about the selection, do what you have to do and the next week you join us." I did not understand anything. When I arrived at my friend's house, he hugged me and said: "Nerve, we're leaving." It was half past one or two in the afternoon. At six we left for Madrid. I remember all my family crying. It was a brutal emotion. I remember and my eyes are filled with nostalgia. It was a unique and indelible moment for my family for everything we had fought. In today's football can you swear eternal love to a team? It would be a prisoner of words. You can take a lot of love for something, but you cannot decide the future. Swearing love would be in vain. I hope I don't leave and I can do my entire career here. Not only does it depend on me, does it give many turns to any mistake I can make in a match? My wife is ordered to record the matches so I can watch them. Whenever I arrive on a trip, I can't sleep and see them repeated. What do you do when you get home and don't think about football? My wife says she is raising three children because I play a lot with my children, I am waging war all day. I'm puncturing them all day. Seeing my children laugh heals everything. Is Giménez worth the 120 million listed in its clause? Silver is just a number. We only play.

Premiere night in the Metropolitan

Three months later, Atlético once again steps on the Wanda with a few new faces. In front of Getafe, the two sides, Trippier and Lodi, and also Joao Félix, star of the pre-season and most expensive signing in the history of the club (126 million) will be released. It may also be Llorente, who will play a spot with Thomas in the center of the field. Diego Costa will not be injured and carrying a penalty for his expulsion at Camp Nou. Getafe, with a balance of 30-0 in goals in his fifteen duels against Simeone, has the loss of Maksimovic.

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