Luis Núñez-Villavearán

Updated Monday, March 18, 2024-18:27

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In the midst of early morning euphoria, with the locker room celebrating the Champions League qualification against Inter,

Simeone

came out at a press conference with a premonition in his head: "I'm sure that tomorrow they will send me a message reminding me that the most important thing is what's coming and we "We have clear objectives."

Passing the round was a joy, not the goal.

The goal is to be in the Champions League.

The objective at

Atlético de Madrid

has been clear for a few years.

"The goal is to be third, not fourth, we have double the budget of fourth," say sources from the red-and-white club.

A goal that began as something "incredible the first year", but that has become an "obligation" assumed by

Cholo

.

"We need the Champions League," the Argentine concluded the appearance.

It makes sense when they talk about "incredible" the first season in which

Simeone

got the team into the top continental competition.

And before his arrival, Atlético had qualified eight times to play in the Champions League.

Since his signing, there have been 11 seasons and, furthermore, consecutive ones.

It cannot be ignored that in the old format only the league champions went, but

Cholo

's merit remains indisputable in that regard.

Those 11 seasons have allowed

Atlético de Madrid

to grow until it has established itself in the European aristocracy.

We are talking not only about prestige, but also about economic and sporting power.

"Thanks to the Champions League, Simeone

's weapons

are twice as powerful," the club warns.

Throughout this period, the club has managed to receive about 750 million euros from UEFA.

Logically, qualifying for the top continental competition gives the right, more or less, to those 67 million euros per year on average.

Income that is calculated by the classification, the coefficient and the position in the competition.

Last year, for example, when Atlético failed to advance from the group stage, the club earned 61.78 million euros according to UEFA's financial report.

If they did not manage to return to the Champions League, "the club would have to redo their expenses and it would influence the squad," say the red and white leadership.

The Atlético players after moving to the quarterfinals.THOMAS COEXAFP

Thus, with its sights set on the top four places, Atlético faces these last nine games with blood and fire.

The red and white club has been in those positions in 22 of the 29 games played.

In addition to Europe, the team also has a difficult time returning to the Spanish Super Cup from which it obtained three million euros this year.

As of today, they are fifth, one point behind

Athletic Club

.

"There are many points and many direct duels left," they say from the club.

In fact, the Bilbao team and Girona still have to go through the Metropolitano in the remainder of the league.

However, the lions were the first to conquer the red and white fiefdom this season and the Catalans inflicted a serious correction on them in the first league duel.

Alert

"More than worried we have to be alert."

It is

Koke

who gives voice to the red and white dressing room after the defeat against Barça at home, the first in the league of the season, and the team's fall from the Champions League positions.

However, they are still alive in the top continental competition and winning it would be the other option to be able to access it next year.

From the club they remember that they have already been in the quarterfinals many times, once in the semis and twice in the final.

All the red and whites know how that story ended.

"In no one's brain is the bullet of winning the Champions League to enter next year, it is very remote, however the one in the league is very probable. Only a crazy person would think about that route," they say from the club.

What a route that would be.