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Why Atlético de Madrid’s comeback against Bayer Leverkusen is much more than that

If you had to choose, you’d probably classify Diego Simeone as more of a canine than feline figure, but there was no mistake on Tuesday night: he was purring about his football team. Atlético Madrid lost a man after just 25 minutes against a smooth and sophisticated Bayer Leverkusen, and in first-half stoppage time, their defense was also breached. When the time came, Simeone would be speaking with warm, paternal pride, and his eyes shining. Giuliano Simeone, however, was not the object of his praise.

Los Colchoneros beat, or rather destroyed, Sparta Prague and Real Valladolid 6-0 and 5-0 respectively in the same week in November and yet Simeone was never as happy as he did on Tuesday. Cholo was prepared for the deepest sleep, nourished by everything he asks for. “Much more than a simple return,” in his own words. Humility, leadership, talent, goals. Those were adjectives Simeone used for Julián Álvarez, but they might as well have been for the team, and it partly explains why the World Cup winner is slowly but surely becoming the player who will justify his transfer fee.

“We talked at half-time, we perfectly identified the game we had to play and we chose how to face the second half.”

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“You see the capacity to suffer and you see the interpretation of how to approach these encounters. And they did it perfectly. We won a game that the boys will remember. Do you remember that game in which we were one less and we turned it around with one less man? “People will remember it.”

Growing and ascending, that spirit is inflating the chests of the Atlético players, and Leverkusen’s victory will fuel the furnaces of the Metropolitano. This season, Los Colchoneros have achieved eight comebacks, this one perhaps the best. Defeat against Leganés last weekend, and its first half threatened to take the air out of the fight for the title. While Los Rojiblancos attempted to equalize the number of players on the field, deliberately identifying which Leverkusen players had been booked, Rodrigo de Paul smiled as he finished off the rival, laughing maniacally. Giuliano’s indomitable attitude, which helped fuel his recovery in November, was challenging in every sprint. they were enjoying he.

“I hope we don’t have to do it like this all the time,” Simeone said just out of duty. It may not be good for his heart, but the response made Simeone as clingy as possible. “The team in the second half was commendable. It was beautiful to see, exciting. The team interpreted each situation, each duel… It was much more than a comeback. There is more. There is a team that played with intelligence, with courage, that knew how to choose the moments and look for those details that make you win games.”

Giuliano Simeone and Julián Álvarez: they make the difference this season. Image via Atletimania.

At the other end of the result was the genius knight Xabi Alonso. The genius figure who has dismantled Bayern Munich and many more went to his post-match interview with a stew of disdain and resignation. Few have faced so many of the 21street dynasties of the century like Alonso, but against this Atlético, uselessness clouded their words.

“The key moment was 1-1. The emotional moment of Atleti changed and that impacted us a lot. The game opened, we couldn’t read it anymore. Until the tie we had played a very solid game. We couldn’t take the game where we wanted, they are very good at that, taking it to their field.”

“You have to manage the energy, read the game and know how to react when they overwhelm you”: a perfect description of what Simeone’s team did.

If their comeback against Leverkusen was Atlético’s most impressive, perhaps the most important epics were both away from home against Paris Saint-Germain (2-1 in November) and against Barcelona in December (2-1 in December). In those games, there was a lot at stake and the opposition was out for blood: a football siege, Atlético took quarters and defended the door. Despite fatigue and adversity, Atlético maintained the clarity and intelligence to attack in the final seconds against all odds. In the three games against PSG, Barcelona and Leverkusen, Atlético averaged 32% possession and scored 6 goals with 9 shots on goal, and a total expected goals of 2.53. They were outshot 54 times to 14. Precisely that ability to remain intact, to have a sharp mind regardless of the circumstances is what suggests a change in this Atlético de Madrid.

This does not mean that Atlético has returned to its former glories stylistically, nor in terms of weapons and strategy. Certainly, compared to their most recent title, Atlético plays more entertaining football and with better players. But seeing Simeone’s reaction, feeling his words and his admiration for his own players, in terms of character, he is as cholista as has been seen in a long time. Remembering his robust character from his victories against PSG and Barcelona, ​​Atlético relished the effort. Faced with another giant, they will add this experience to reinforce an iron belief.

Under Simeone, Atlético may have had even better squads, and this season may end up being less successful than others, but this group feels closer to Simeone in personality. One who “believes, works, searches, perseveres and perseveres again.” Regardless of what money or talent comes to the Metropolitano, any club, coach or person will logically feel more comfortable with an attitude and approach in communion with the narrative they have of themselves. In recent seasons, it seemed that the club’s hiring was moving away from Simeone’s true wishes. Now, cholismo threatens an uprising again.

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