Beyond anything else, when Atlético Madrid receives Barcelona at the Metropolitan Stadium on Wednesday (Transmit live on ESPN+ at 3 pm et) It is an obvious opportunity to reach their first final of the Copa del Rey in 12 long years.
A monumental occasion in itself, particularly having lost so painfully to the leaders of the Hansi Flick League at home fifteen days ago.
But, it was not wrong, the second finely balanced semifinal stage of Atleti (the first ending stage 4-4), without a doubt, will also be a referendum in chief coach Diego Simeone, his recent record, and his future Atlético Madrid. At least for their employers and for those fans of the hard line who watch their record of great increasingly sad game and have sincere, important and understandable doubts.
Since the 2013-14 gold season, Atlétic Valencia (1) in the last 11 years. Let's leave the “great” of Spain of this: Atleti does not deserve to be compared to them at this time.
Simeone's reputation has been increasingly stained by a stubborn inability to lead his team successfully through his greatest evidence. Its tactical management has been the object of scrutiny, in turn more famous worldly famous defensive has evaporated and, as for the rights of bluffing premises, there is no doubt that Athleti's noisy neighbors have regained the advantage after he started the temporal power of Real Madrid when he arrived almost 14 years ago.
Obviously, for anyone, whether journalists, former players, former coaches, fans or, in fact, Simeone employers must there must be nuances involved in the evaluation of their current state, decreased and decreased. It is not contradictory to suggest that he is the most successful and perhaps important figure in the history of Atlético Madrid, if he considers his achievements as a player and a coach. However, at the same time, he is a Samson whose hair has been stripped and his strength was removed.
In the two and a half years between January 2012 and May 2014, after having inherited a little inspiring and low performance team, Simeone won five trophies. This Argentine with his mentality of Guerreros was a blessing for his club, his fans, the owners and, fervently, Spanish football in general. It became an icon of all time for those who appreciate that their football is pointed, stubborn, direct and, above all, winner. Just as Makélélé's role “became a synonym for a specific position in the midfield, the idea of” Simeone Football “became instantly identifiable and unmistakable. At least until everything oxidizes.
This, honestly, had begun to resemble the response season, the fight, instead of having the feeling of “Simeone's last position.” These last weeks have been so tumultuous for Atleti and his volatile coach. It would be hard to make fundamental judgments about whether it should remain only based on that strange and barely credible elimination of the UEFA Champions League at the hands of its most hated rivals, Real Madrid or the series of dots fallen in LaLiga that surround that cataclysmic match. I think the cracks, and doubts, run much more deeply than that.
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Each club, no matter how big, how well resources or in form is with stormy water for a season. All must accept that even champions sets will briefly stumble under the pressure of incessant accessories and injuries, and occasionally it will simply be overcome in a given day.
That is not the key point here. This is one of the most expensive and talented Atlético and talented squadrons in its history. It would be disappointing for fans, players, staff and owners if they don't win anything this season, yes. But in other circumstances that could, and probably be seen as a launching, a hopeful indication that special things are about to happen.
If only a matter of weeks flies back, the Atleti were still online to win that acute legendary that only Barcelona, in Spain, has ever achieved. Favorites to reach the final of the Copa del Rey after the first leg in Barcelona, placed powerfully in LaLig The whites In the 16th round of the Champions League, it really seemed that everything looked sweetly for Atleti.
Now on Wednesday it dawns with Atleti out of the Champions League, demonstrably out of the race for the title (even if the arithmetic does not support it categorically), and this needs to win this tempting party against the leaders of the title of Spain to put things well. Or, alternatively, if they lose, the opportunity to add more to this emerging disaster.
The same man who became a catalytic typhoon for this club when he arrived to take care of Midway through another doubtful season (in December 2011) by winning the Europa League in five months, threatens to become a broken blush, at least in terms of trophy. What has perpetually saved Simeone, even in 2022, when he admitted “he felt like the end of an era” and “like all of you, I could see how bad we were playing, I could not say that in public”, it is how his metronomic capacity to keep athletes among the first four of LaLiga has obtained the club many hundreds of millions of euros. I am 100% sure that fans feel anything like that as do club owners. Supporters want to see their heroes raising trophies and want to point it out about other clubs. Especially if the other club in your life is a true Madrid and your nose has been rubbed forever.
After the last fallen points over the weekend, 1-1 to Espanyol, a very pessimistic and gloomy Jan Obón admitted: “I do not know what the problem is … in the field we do not show that we want to win, we do not deserve more than this. We are far from the first place at the table and the teams are also catching us.”
However, the fact that the consistency close to Atleti cigarettes in these relatively trophies has described for the new FIFA game, the Club World Cup means that Simeone could block on Wednesday of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, but survive to win the FIFA Club sprawling and, therefore, bring Atleti to $ 125 million. Who in Atleti would be brave or visionary enough to say: “Yes, that's very good … but we want to win leagues and cups!” Nobody. That is the one.
By the time I arrive on Wednesday, we will know if Real Madrid, who has only raised this great Old trophy once in the last 11 years, have used their 1-0 advantage over the Royal Society to reach the final. That opens the possibility of potentially two Madrid more Derbies This season: in Seville for the final of the Copa del Rey on April 26 and, how FIFA must be praying for this, in New Jersey on July 13 in that final of the Club World Cup.
Diego Pablo Simeone: Do you still have what is needed? If so, it is time to show it.
