After beating Osasuna 3-0 at the weekend, Atletico Madrid continued to extend the records they have already set under Diego Simeone. Before the Argentine arrived, Los Colchoneros had qualified for the Champions League just eight times in their history. Since, they have appeared in all 11 seasons after his first campaign.
This success has led them to grow and expand. Not only have they moved into the new Civitas Metropolitano with some of the money they received, and now have a budget that is around double their nearest challenger below them.
He was asked what he would say to those that would no longer give him and Atletico credit for the acheivement of making the top four.
“Nothing. Let them put on the black suit for eight months and they’ll find out if it’s that easy.”
🪶 La dedicatoria de Simeone para los que le quitan mérito.
💬 "Que se pongan un rato el traje negro durante 8 meses". pic.twitter.com/clln8pJAkB
— Relevo (@relevo) May 21, 2023
Simeone also commented on his future, with his deal set to expire in the summer of 2024.
“I have one more year on my contract, and it is closely linked to continuing in the Champions League or not. As we do every year, we will talk with [Andrea] Berta, Enrique [Cerezo] and Miguel Angel [Gil] and we will seek the best for the team,” he told Diario AS.
While there have been waves of discontent at Atletico this season, the turnaround has been remarkable, and may be worth second place to them if they can match Real Madrid’s points tally with three games left to go, then they will do so.