Simeone has been changing the history of Atlético de Madrid for nine years. The technician took over the team on December 23, 2011, when his return to the club was announced to act as a guide from the bench after two stages as a rojiblanco player, the first of them being key in the Double.
But it wouldn't be until the 29th, on a day like today nine years ago, when he got down to work on the grass. The arrival of Simeone overflowed the illusion of a hobby plunged into crisis (The team was eleventh in the League and had just been eliminated in the Copa del Rey in a double game by Albacete of Second Division B) and from the club they wanted open the doors of Vicente Calderón so that people could be on top of Cholo's first big date with his players.
More than 4,000 people were present in the stands, receiving the new mister under the song “Ole, ole, ole 'Cholo' Simeone” that has always accompanied him. The present time at that time passed through the intention of the coach to convince Reyes of his permanence in the team, the other great protagonist of that training. At the end of the session, the Argentine went to the stands to sign autographs, shirts and balls for each fan for more than twenty minutes.
Not even the most optimistic present could predict what was to come. Against Getafe (tomorrow, 19:15), Simeone will reach 500 games at the helm of Atlético de Madrid. A meeting before, in the visit to the Royal Society, Cholo reached 300 victories with seven titles behind him. The second coach with the most matches directed in the club's history, after a Luis Aragonés who added 611 duels and a search for a new victory against Getafe (his favorite rival with 15 wins in 17 games and no goals against) That would leave only six the record of the Sabio de Hortaleza (307 victories) and that would guarantee to finish 2020 at the top of LaLiga.