Only Schmidt has been in office longer in Europe
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When Atlético Madrid finally reach the premier class final again after ten long years, Diego Simeone will pull out all the stops again in the coaching zone. Sometimes passionately, sometimes provocatively, he will whip his team forward. He wants to go “all in”. And yet the semi-final second leg of the Champions League at Arsenal on Tuesday (9 p.m./Prime Video) could herald the end of an era.
In Spain, ahead of the match at the Emirates Stadium, there are increasing rumors that the Atlético coach will probably leave the club after almost 15 years if the Colchoneros miss a place in the final on May 30th in Budapest. “El Cholo” is threatening a “Last Dance in London”, it was said recently on the talk show “El Chiringuito”. An end to the second-longest term in European football – only Heidenheim’s Frank Schmidt has been with his club longer in the top leagues – is no longer ruled out.
The so-called “cholismo”, Simeone’s hot-blooded demeanor, is still a kind of religion among many Atlético fans, as the trade journal “Marca” and others have repeatedly stated. “However, doubts are growing in the club. The fans are now demanding more and even within the dressing room they know that this moment is crucial,” continued El Chiringuito. For Simeone, in London it’s “all or nothing.”
Simeone is a myth in Madrid because after his signing at the end of 2011, he quickly led Atlético back to the national and international top with a squad around Diego Godín, Juanfran, Miranda and Gabi. In 2014 they won the Spanish championship for the first time in 18 years, there were also two Europa League titles (2012 and 2018) and two Champions League finals (2014 and 2016), both of which were lost to city rivals Real. But the fans were still excited at the time.
Atlético is now spending a lot of money on players like Julián Alvarez (came in 2024 for 75 million euros) or Ademola Lookman (last summer for 35 million euros), and the fans are becoming more demanding. However, the club has not won any trophies since the last LaLiga title in 2021. Fourth place in the league, far behind FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Villarreal FC, is being criticized a lot. And after the favorites’ defeat in the cup final against Real Sociedad two and a half weeks ago, Simeone finally came under criticism.
After the first leg against Arsenal a week ago (1-1), Simeone admitted that they were facing an “extraordinary challenge”. The opponent did not lose in this year’s Champions League. “But we’re going all in,” he assured us before his game number 1,003 as coach.
In England and Italy, meanwhile, it is said that Chelsea and Inter Milan in particular are just waiting for the man with the hot temper to take his hat off in Madrid a year before the end of his contract in order to get the coach. Simeone is also being considered at home in Buenos Aires as a possible successor to national coach Lionel Scaloni after the World Cup in the summer.
Arteta on Atlético coach Simeone: “An absolute benchmark”
However, a big surprise, i.e. a move forward in London, could also breathe new life into “Cholismo”. Then maybe next season or for a long time to come, Simeone will be running up and down the sidelines in Madrid and at Atlético’s away games, flailing his arms wildly and arguing with referees, opposing fans and players.
Whether in Madrid or elsewhere: like Karl-Heinz Rummenigge a few years ago, he will probably continue to be criticized for his team’s often destructive and unorthodox style of play. Also unfair and unsympathetic. But he will continue to captivate just as many people. What did Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta say about his counterpart before the first leg? “I’ve always admired these kind of people. Everyone has their style (…). But in many things he is an absolute benchmark.”
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