Newcastle United right-back Kieran Trippier has opened up about his experience playing for Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid in an interview with BBC Radio carried by Cope.
Trippier left Atletico this past January transfer window to return to England two-and-a-half years after leaving Tottenham Hotspur for Spain in the summer of 2019. The Englishman was a key cog in the Atletico team that won La Liga in the 2020/21 season.
Unsurprisingly, working with Simeone was an intense experience. “There’ve been times where I’ve been in bed, asleep, and he’s called me,” Trippier revealed. “It’s crazy, something I’ve never experienced. He was talking about things I could have done better and I was trying to sleep. Also text messages.
“He’s obsessed. I admire him, it all comes down to respect. Everyone respects him because he respects his players. He has a lot of confidence in his players and that’s had a huge impact on me. He’s an incredible coach and I’m lucky to have worked with him because I’ve learned a lot from him.”
Trippier has traded life in Spain for the Premier League but Simeone, who recently celebrated a decade in charge at Atletico, is very much focused on Los Rojiblancos. They travel to Old Trafford this evening to take on Manchester United in the last 16 second leg of the Champions League. The aggregate score is currently tied at 1-1 following the first leg back in Spain.
Atletico, defending champions in La Liga, have been below par this season but have been getting back on track lately. They’ll look to summon that famed spirit of old in England this evening.
