• First, this is the classification

Legend has it that Ronaldo Nazario , today president of Valladolid, may have become an idol of Vicente Calderón. It really was no legend. It happened more than two decades ago, in 1996, during that intense summer after the famous double. Atlético were looking for a killer to replace Penev and, above all, to make a quality leap to a champion team that was returning to the European Cup. And in the PSV there was a 19-year-old boy who dazzled the world with his power, speed and aim. Jesús Gil , then athletic president, fantasized about it until the Dutch leaders, at a summit in Marbella, put the Brazilian exit price on the table: 2,500 million pesetas (15 million euros) . Atlético came to offer just over half of that figure, then astronomical. In the current offices of the Metropolitan, there are those who still remember that frustrated operation and, in addition, pull their hair.

Ronaldo, who has been in Real Valladolid for a year, after acquiring 51% of the shares, was met by Simeone that same summer. In just six minutes, on the grass of Montjuïc, where the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup was played, the canarinho , star signing of that Barcelona by Bobby Robson (and Mourinho as an assistant and translator), danced to all who could have been his companions From that duel he left with a double in his pocket. It was just an advance. With the Barca shirt and Real Madrid, he would end up martyred at the rojiblanco club: 15 goals in 10 games. One of them, especially painful for Cholo . It was in a derby at the Bernabéu (2003) and in just 14 seconds, he knocked down a red-and-white coach today and drew with a subtle touch who is now his second, Mono Burgos .

Inter Milan joined them for two seasons. Both landed in 1997, conquered the UEFA Cup (1998) and faced an untouchable Juve in Serie A. The interdisciplinary typhosi still remember that so-called derby against Milan where Simeone had more Ronaldo things than himself. His was the double in 0-3 (the other goal was made by the Brazilian) and his was also that backlash full of fury and power, crossing the field at full speed, which he culminated despite having his side at Forward. Their paths would separate in the summer of 1999. The Argentine signed Lazio and Ronie would start a physical ordeal after breaking the patellar tendon. During a good handful of evenings, they were both happy together.

Criticisms of Cholo before the end of 2016

This Sunday, as happened last season, both will cross again in one of the corridors of the José Zorrilla stadium. Both in suits and ties, although with very different occupations. Those words of Ronaldo, before the end of the 2016 Champions League, were already healed. «What Simeone transmits to the players I don't like. It makes the team play very well, but Atlético's game is very close and only seeks the speed of the backlash, ”said the president of Blanquivioleta, whose team repeats in the top category after cornering what seemed like a fatal destination in the penultimate working day.

A priori, for Atlético there is no better place than Valladolid to leave home. His last three visits, all with Simeone on the bench, concluded with a red and white victory, with Diego Costa and Griezmann , author of a double the previous season, as protagonists. Now, in addition, the rojiblancos arrive after four games without fitting a goal. "Our defense has a different gift," says his coach.

"What the Cholo instills in them is brutal and this year they have taken a leap in quality," were the flowers of Sergio González , Mr. Pucelano, to his rival. Unless surprise, Atlético will release a trident in LaLiga, five days after his great premiere in the Champions League. Joao Felix , protagonist in Moscow and top scorer, Costa and Morata will join for the first time. They will do so before a break of selections for which the Portuguese has only been cited by his country. «Joao has the conditions to play second point, he will have much more over time. The more production he has in the game, I see it more important. This is given by Costa and Morata ». This is what Simeone believes.

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