Savic, a vital ingredient against Atlético's crisis: the fall started with his injury

• Crisis The numbers of Simeone's defensive nightmare: "I'm not going to stay still"

• Atlético Simeone's most critical moment: "He is disappointed and frustrated"

"It's time for men. I hope there are many who will step forward." Hours after the derailment of Atlético in San Sebastián, the feeling was unanimous among those who have been part of the happiest years of the Simeone era. Which, since that December 2011, have been the majority. Today the team lives submerged in the mud of a crisis of results and identity. Of which, for a long time, they had no news in a locker room armed in the image and likeness of the spirit of their coach. They all soaked up his commandments like sponges.

Stefan Savic has seen this first-hand, who is heading towards his seventh season at Atlético. The radar of sports director

in the Italian market detected him in the summer of 2015 and, despite some rumors about his departure in these years, or living with

and

when

always played with two central defenders, despite of... Stefan has 216 appearances as a rojiblanco. He has been a legend for the club for a long time, much more after the magical 2020/21 season, where he was one of the pillars on which that League was built that seems like a thing of a very distant past. “90% of the footballers who are going to play tomorrow [for today] made us champions”, recalled

, confident that Savic's return will return the charm and lost armor to his defense.

It may be debatable that the absence due to injury of the Montenegrin central defender, fourth captain after the departure of

, has lowered the defensive level of the team.

Above all because on afternoons like the one at Mestalla, against Valencia, tonight's rival, he was present, along with Giménez and

, when

's team embraced a tie in added time, which would have been unthinkable at any other time of Simeone.

What is not questionable, since the numbers are always honest, is that since his injury, that December 4, lying on the cold grass of the Metropolitan, assisted by his friend

, Atlético has barely given one to the right.

A good part of the crisis that the rojiblanco team is now facing started with his injury to his right thigh.

That night,

ended up storming the rojiblanco stadium at the last minute, while Savic began his sentence.

In total, 49 days in which Atlético has been left off the hook in the League (and entangled in a rough battle for the next Champions League) and eliminated from the Copa del Rey and the Super Cup, without a single sign of the identity that is presupposed .

There have been six defeats in 10 games.

There have been 15 goals received.

And it has been, above all, an alarming feeling of vulnerability.

The third centre-back with the most games

"Stefan is hierarchy, security, personality... Everything he transmits is good for the team," Simeone stressed during the afternoon before his return to the Champions League, after serving a four-game punishment for his expulsion at

. In many corners of the club, they believe that, with Stefan on the pitch, the team would not have suffered many of the ills that have led it to the dangerous gorge where it is now.

It is no coincidence that Savic is the third central defender who has played the most games (213) with Simeone, only behind

(234) and

(344).

His renewal last summer, until 2024, was celebrated in the club's offices as a great signing.

The same happens with his return, after nine games out due to injury, which will also be appreciated by his inseparable Oblak.

Hierarchy is one of the remedies that this Atlético needs now.

And Stefan has plenty of that.

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