Atletico Madrid: What next for manager Diego Simeone?

One thing that is indisputable is Simeone’s managerial record at Atletico.

He took charge of Atletico Madrid on 786 occasions, recording 465 wins, 170 draws and 151 defeats over 14 and a half seasons in charge. This makes him one of the longest serving managers in world football.

Atletico offered Simeone his first major managerial job in European football when he was appointed in December 2011, his previous role on the continent was to save Italian side Catania from Serie A relegation, following success in Argentina with River Plate and Estudiantes.

In that time the club was transformed. When Simeone first arrived, Atletico had just been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Albacete and were 10th in La Liga, 21 points behind the leaders.

Yet Atletico won the Europa League under the Argentine coach in Simeone’s first season, before adding the Uefa Super Cup and the Copa del Rey in 2012–13.

From 2013-14, after winning their first title under Simeone, Atletico qualified for the Champions League every season, falling twice in the space of three years between 2014 and 2016 to agonizing final defeats at the hands of rivals Real.

Competing on Europe’s biggest stage was no longer an achievement, it was considered the standard.

As Atletico supporter Guillermo Muela describes, Simeone changed the mentality of supporters.

“We went from ‘El Pupas – the jinxeds’, to a club that can compete against Barcelona and Real Madrid without fear,” says Myela.

“The connection he has with the club and the fans is something you rarely see in modern football. He lives for Atletico Madrid.”

He is the most decorated manager of all time at the club and supporter Javier del Amo describes him as “one of the greatest icons in our history”.

“One of his greatest achievements is to get the fans to identify with the team again,” says del Amo.

Lifelong supporter Dani Ruiz agrees: “He is the epitome of Atletico and what modern football has become.”