Frustration at Atletico Madrid as solidity that has defined Diego Simeone's reign wanes

Atleti's defensive prowess has been a staple of the Argentine's time in charge. They entertain Manchester United in the Champions League last 16 knowing this is their only chance of silverware

Atletico Madrid's Argentinian coach Diego Simeone (R) takes part in a training session in Madrid on February 22, 2022, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match against Manchester United. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone addresses a press conference in Madrid on February 22, 2022, on the eve of their Champions League last 16 first leg against Manchester United. AFP

Atletico Madrid players taking part in a training session on the eve of their Champions League match against Manchester United. AFP

Atletico Madrid's Montenegrin defender Stefan Savic addresses a press conference in Madrid. AFP

Atletico Madrid defender Stefan Savic and coach Diego Simeone arrive at a press conference in Madrid. AFP

Atletico Madrid's French forward Antoine Griezmann takes part in a training session. AFP

Atletico Madrid's Mexican midfielder Hector Herrera. AFP

Atletico Madrid players take part in a training session. AFP

Atletico Madrid forward Luis Suarez. AFP

Atletico Madrid players take part in a training session in Madrid. AFP

Atletico Madrid's Argentinian coach Diego Simeone. AFP

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone takes part in a training session in Madrid. AFP

Atletico Madrid players attend a training session at Wanda Metropolitano. EPA

A general view of Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano. EPA

Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann. EPA

Atletico Madrid's Renan Lodi, Joao Felix and Thomas Lemar attend a training session. EPA

Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak during training. Reuters

To try to disengage from the all-encompassing job that is managing Atletico Madrid, long-time manager Diego Simeone likes an afternoon trip to the cinema.

"The coaching part is beautiful and tough at the same time," he once said of his escapes. "It’s difficult to disconnect. I go to the movies on Tuesday – or Thursday if I have a match in Europe - and suddenly the film gets boring and players appear on the screen. I start to think, 'how can I drop this one? How can I make him improve?'"

The Argentine, in charge of the team he served so well as a player since 2011, has had much to think about of late. His side won La Liga last May, yet like Wednesday’s Champions League opponents Manchester United, are well off the pace in their domestic league, having lost five of 10 league games since December. Atleti are fifth and have conceded more goals than any other team in the top half of the table.

“We have been defending extraordinarily well for 10 years and this year it is not working out for us”, Simeone said after a recent defeat. “We can improve, we don’t have the attention we should have.”

The team who sat second after beating Barcelona at home in October (Luis Suarez scored) slipped out of the Champions League spots after losing 4-2 to Barcelona this month (Luis Suarez again).

The Uruguayan, 35, a former nemesis of Manchester United, isn’t the player he was but he’s still capable of scoring a sublime goal, as he did in a 3-0 win at Osasuna on Saturday with a lob from distance. It was the first time Simeone’s side has kept a clean sheet all season. It wasn’t as convincing as it sounds: Osasuna had 63 per cent possession and 13 shots to Atleti’s five. A team long renown for warrior-like defenders that symbolised their manager’s commitment and drive no longer do that. In their previous game, a 1-0 home defeat to bottom club Levante, Atletico didn’t manage a shot on goal.

Atleti lose to Barcelona

Suarez’s nine league goals this season are half those of the league’s leading scorer, Karim Benzema, with Angel Correa, who got his 11th of the season on Saturday, the top scorer. The Argentine is in form in 2022 and only Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski can match his seven goals in Europe’s top five leagues since the turn of the year.

Atletico, like United, boast big names: Antoine Griezmann, on loan from Barcelona and back from injury, but didn’t feature on Saturday; Suarez, Correa; the captain, Koke – a doubt for Wednesday, goalkeeper Jan Oblak, and Joao Felix, the 22-year-old Portuguese forward who, at €126 million is the fourth most expensive player in history. He played his 100th game for the club at the weekend, and set up Suarez’s goal. But while he’s a magical footballer, he’s not consistent.

“The kid has so much talent and vision,” explains Atlético season ticket holder and long-time Madrid resident David Robertson.” He could be one of the best players in the world in the future. I can honestly say I’ve never seen anyone in Atleti with so much talent, and I’ve seen the likes of [Fernando] Torres and [Sergio] Aguero. But there’s something missing. Probably the right attitude, but he’s been better in recent weeks. The wonder kid is waking up.”

Winger Yannick Carrasco is out of the United game as he isolates following close contactr with a positive Covid case. He’ll be badly missed, since he and midfielder Thomas Lemar have been Atleti’s best players. Kieran Trippier has returned to England. Atletico enquired about United’s Diogo Dalot as a replacement but were given the same short shrift as when the boot was on the other foot – at various times in recent years United have enquired about Griezmann, defender Jose Gimenez, and even Simeone. The man they call ‘El Cholo’ - a nickname bestowed by a former youth coach who reckoned he reminded him of former Boca player Carmelo Simeone, doesn't speak English and has only said publicly that he'd like to coach Inter Milan and Lazio, two of his former teams in Italy.

The Madrilenos can afford big names because of Simeone, under whom the club underwent a revolution. Atleti once let go their most talented youngsters David de Gea and Aguero because they needed the money.

"If we're selling players to the biggest clubs in the world then it shows I'm doing my job well," explained sporting director and former Spain international Jose Luis Caminero a decade ago. “It shows we're producing and developing excellent footballers. It’s also a reality. Atleti is a big club, but not the biggest.” It’s still true but you’d never hear anyone at Atleti say such a thing now. They think they should be at the top table.

Simeone changed everything. He returned to Atleti as coach in December 2011 when they were 10th in La Liga, four points above the relegation zone and ejected from the cup by lowly Albacete. They’d just sacked Gregorio Manzano, who’d been there just six months, the 49th managerial change under the current ownership – yes, forty ninth.

For years, Atletico were pupas - losers who lost their nerve. There was negativity about in the psyche of the supporters and that fed into the players.

“We’d get a good away win and then the fans were convinced that we’d lose an easy home game a few days later because that’s what Atleti did,” said former striker Diego Forlan. “And you know what? We did lose, because some players believed the fatalism. They were used to failure but me, Aguero, Jose Reyes, Simao and De Gea changed the mentality and helped bring success.”

Simeone took everything up a level. He wanted to “see an aggressive, strong, combative and determined team”. His impact was immediate, six clean sheets in his first six games.

He has continued to revitalise the club since with year-on-year improvements. They won the Europa League again in 2012 and a historic Copa del Rey victory against Real Madrid in the Bernabéu would follow in May 2013. In 2014 the rojiblancos won the league for the first time since 1996 when a team with Simeone in it won the double. Over 250,000 fans came out onto Madrid’s streets to celebrate, with the support for the team only bettered by Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain. That support deserved a bigger home and the long-awaited move to a new stadium came in 2017, the 67,000 capacity Wanda Metropolitano further out from Madrid than their old Calderon cauldron. It hosted the 2019 Champions League final, won by Liverpool. Atletico dreamed it would be them soon. They reached the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals, losing both times to Real Madrid, the first after extra time, the second after extra time and penalties. That stung, but Atletico have won three Europa Leagues and three Super Cups since 2010.

Liverpool came again this season and defeated Atletico, as they did at Anfield. But Atletico qualified for the knock-out stage after a 3-1 away win at Porto in the final game which saw them finish second ahead of the Portuguese side and AC Milan in the toughest group.

Atletico v Liverpool ratings

The United game is a big one, the only chance both teams have of silverware this season.

Atletico fans are frustrated and Simeone not being Atleti boss is even talked about among fans: “United isn’t as daunting as Bayern Munich who we were originally drawn against [in a bungled draw], but we’re not nearly at the same level as last season,” says Robertson. “The team blows hot and cold; one great performance followed by a disappointing one. Surprisingly we’re shipping a lot of goals. Considering we’ve had one of the best defensive records in Europe since Simeone arrived, this is worrying. We’ve had a lot of injuries to key players but that’s always the easy excuse. Something isn’t clicking.”

Simeone, 51 and under contract until 2024, has stayed where he’s loved for so long – and he’s not felt that way in his homeland.

“I did an interview with an Argentinian newspaper,” he said after his early successes at Atletico. “We’d won the Europa League, the Super Cup. We were second in the league. I had a look at the comments on the web by the article. I never normally do that, but it was time to ruin the day. Of the first 10 comments, eight were negative. That’s why you ask: ‘Why are Argentines so unfair?”

“Simeone is a legend,” says Robertson. “He’s given the club a stability we could never have imagined. He’s our Fergie [Sir Alex Ferguson]. I’m not so blinded as not to see his tactics are not always, let’s say, strictly fair play, and as a fan it’s often been frustrating to see Atleti shut up shop when you know the team is capable of more, but his methods have taken the club from mediocrity to rubbing shoulders with the best in Europe year after year.”

The tie against United is a huge one for both teams but at least millions will be able to watch around the world. The last time the club’s met in Madrid, Atletico’s former – and controversial - club president Jesus Gil infamously pulled the plug on the TV cameras an hour before kick off after a dispute.