Almost fifteen years ago Atletico Madrid almost risked disappearing. He was torn apart by debt, forced to do business with murky agencies to survive. Leave Bulgarian percentages to the latter, on transfers, in order to maintain at least a decent level on the squad. Then Diego Pablo Simeone arrived and everything changed. Not immediately, obviously, because Atletico is not a linear story. However, the Europa League victory was the first step in an extraordinary journey, which culminated with two Champions League finals lost against the hated Real Madrid, in daring fashion both times.
His detractors speak of Simeone’s football as old-fashioned. He actually isn’t. Or rather, it’s trying to do the best with what you have, often the need to defend against Real Madrid and Barcelona is not a choice. Yet he won two La Liga, the only one to break the monopoly of the giants, he won in Europe and in the Copa del Rey. He brought the club into the future by being able to invest in the Wanda Metropolitano, he solved economic problems that seemed insurmountable and a prelude to downsizing, at best, or bankruptcy.
Simeone was also a symbol as a player. At Atletico Madrid, yes, but also at Anconetani’s Pisa. Or at Massimo Moratti’s Inter, in the Ronaldo era, that of the Phenomenon, with a UEFA Cup but also with the disappointment of May 5th against Lazio, albeit on the other side. The first part of his coaching career was memorable, between Estudiantes, River Plate and Catania, with a salvation with a record number of points. Diego Pablo Simeone turns 54 today.