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Atlético de Madrid will see the end of an era at the end of the calendar year, when sporting director Andrea Berta will end seven years of his reign at the Metropolitano. Berta will be leaving and many cite the arrival of Director of Football Carlos Bucero as a key factor.
Certainly, Bucero seems to have had the power to make decisions, and Relevo references that as part of Berta’s decision. This summer Bucero was key in the arrivals of Julián Álvarez, Robin Le Normand and Alexander Sorloth, although Bucero preferred Javi Guerra to Conor Gallagher.
They go on to say that a gap had also grown between Diego Simeone and Berta. The best explanation for this is three specific transfers. In 2021, Brazilian forward Marcos Paulo arrived, despite Simeone making it clear that he was not a fan. Paulo has not yet made his debut and has made several loan trips, but he still has 18 months left on his contract.
“We have the same points as last year, the ones with the least are Madrid and Barcelona.”
About Lamine: “It is clear that he is extraordinary. They don’t have anyone with those characteristics, but they have Ferran, Olmo, Pedri to look for other alternatives.”
🗣️Diego Simeone pic.twitter.com/yhm2FEYHND
— Soccer Spain (@footballespana_) December 20, 2024
Secondly, Joao Félix, the Portuguese, is perhaps the most predictable point of tension. Félix signed for 127 million euros, but never agreed with Simeone. Berta insisted that Simeone was still trying to get the best out of Félix for the money they had invested, but Simeone had long run out of patience.
Thirdly, the curious arrival of Arthur Vermeeren was the point of no return for Berta and Simeone. The Belgian teenager arrived for €22m last January as one of European football’s best prospects, but left on loan this summer to RB Leipzig, who are expected to make the deal permanent.
Vermeeren only started one game and was substituted at half-time because Simeone did not feel that he fulfilled what he had asked for and did not want the player. He preferred to sign Boca Juniors midfielder Alan Varela, who ended up moving to Porto for 12 million euros.
🚨 Antoine Griezmann has been classified as the 41st best player in the world in 2024 by ‘The Guardian’. Julián Álvarez is in 55th place and Álvaro Morata is in 70th place. pic.twitter.com/psshgvk7GD
— Universo Atlético (@architetturauniverse) December 20, 2024
Simeone has proposed his signing again this January, while Berta has shown more interest in players like Samu Costa, Luis Milla, Morten Hjlumand and Jerdy Schouten.
It seems that Bucero’s arrival has been a revolution in the Metropolitan. During Atlético’s poor form earlier this season, Bucero was credited with the idea that Atlético were exploring their alternatives to Simeone. It must be recognized that Simeone has eleven victories in a row as an impressive response.
