After 15 years in office
Atlético coach Simeone is threatened with elimination
May 4, 2026 – 2:29 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Atlético Madrid is fighting against Arsenal for a place in the Champions League final. If that doesn’t work, an era could come to an end.
If Atlético Madrid wants to get back to the premier class final on Tuesday (9 p.m./Prime Video) after ten years, Simeone will act emotionally on the sidelines as usual. He wants to go “all in”. At the same time, the duel at Arsenal could herald the end of his long term in office.
In Spain, speculation about a farewell is increasing before the game at the Emirates Stadium. It is said that if Atlético misses the final on May 30 in Budapest, the coach could leave the club after almost 15 years. There was recently talk of a possible “Last Dance in London” on the talk show “Chiringuito”.
And further: “The doubts are growing in the club. The fans are now demanding more, and even within the dressing room we know that this moment is crucial,” said “Chiringuito”. For the coach, it’s “all or nothing” in London.
Since his signing at the end of 2011, Simeone has led Atlético to the top European level. In 2014 the club won the championship for the first time in 18 years. There were also two Europa League titles (2012 and 2018) and two final appearances in the Champions League (2014 and 2016), both of which were lost to Real Madrid.
Recently, however, there have been no titles. Despite major investments in players like Julián Álvarez, Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada, Atlético has been waiting for further success since winning the 2021 league title. The current fourth place in the table behind FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Villarreal FC is viewed critically. Added to this was the significant defeat in the cup final against Real Sociedad around two and a half weeks ago, which increased the pressure on Simeone.
After the 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Champions League, Simeone spoke of an “extraordinary challenge”. Arsenal are still unbeaten in this Champions League season. “But we’re going all in,” he announced. His 1,001st Simeone celebrated his role as coach in the 2-0 win in Valencia at the weekend.
There is already international speculation about possible new tasks for the 56-year-old. According to media reports, Chelsea and Inter Milan, among others, are showing interest. In his home country, Simeone is also being considered as a possible successor to national coach Lionel Scaloni after the World Cup in the summer.
