Florence Broglie
Diego Simeone, the maestro of intensity and master of the “us against the world” narrative, is back in familiar territory. Following Atletico Madrid’s recent setbacks, the fiery Argentine has launched into a tirade, this time targeting the Spanish authorities – La Liga and the RFEF.
His grievances? A perceived scheduling disadvantage in the Copa del Rey and La Liga’s “unfair” handling of their Champions League preparation. It’s a well-worn script for Simeone, but is it justified this time?
Firstly, the Copa del Rey gripe. While Athletic Club did indeed have more rest before their first leg, citing scheduling issues due to their involvement in the Spanish Super Cup, Atletico’s own fixture congestion can’t be ignored. They played twice in the week leading up to the semi-final, hardly an ideal scenario themselves.
Then there’s the La Liga scheduling “disservice” ahead of their clash with Inter Milan. While Inter’s Friday night fixture does offer them an extra day’s rest, Simeone conveniently forgets his own team’s luxurious midweek break before traveling to Las Palmas. It’s worth noting that Simeone, at the helm of one of Spain’s wealthiest clubs, enjoys significantly more resources than most to manage such demands.
Simeone’s frustration with the calendar is understandable, as fixture congestion plagues many European leagues. However, his selective outrage and convenient amnesia about Atletico’s own privileges raise eyebrows. Perhaps, instead of pointing fingers, focusing on maximizing his squad’s potential – especially their finishing woes away from home – might be a more productive approach.
Diego Simeone: “Proud of the players, absolutely. Tremendous effort, tremendous second half, three, four very important goal situations that were created from the game. Today it doesn’t go in, yesterday it didn’t go in, but it will go in, and it will go in at the best moment.” pic.twitter.com/oGQj7gkRhN
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 11, 2024
Simeone’s fiery brand of leadership has proven successful in the past, but this time, his complaints ring hollow. While the scheduling landscape isn’t perfect, his selective outrage ignores his own advantages and reeks more of deflection than genuine concern. The “us against the world” narrative only carries weight when the “us” doesn’t have a significant head start. Perhaps, for now, a shift in focus from external factors to internal solutions might be the key to turning Atletico’s fortunes around.
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