Simeone's pending challenges

Atlético has renewed Simeone until 2024, two years more than what I already had. The coach will thus complete his 13th season, which when the time comes may be even more. A long, extraordinary stage in Spanish and European football, which still has challenges. Some because he has never gotten them. Others because you don't want to lower the level. After winning League 20-21, conformity is prohibited. There is work ahead …

Defending the title

Atlético conquered the League and for the next season, although he is still not a favorite according to the bets, will fight it again. Real Madrid and Barça will be there, but Simeone it has the champion block. All the virtues of the successful last campaign will try to deploy them again from August 15. Simeone has two leagues and only Zamora and Herrera have achieved it with Atleti. In fact, no coach outside of Madrid and Barça has achieved three leagues. It is the first challenge of the Cholo.

The big dream, the Champions

Simeone has won everything at Atlético except the Champions League. The long-awaited and elusive Champions. In this cycle he has reached the final twice and in recent years he has stayed further. Chelsea lowered him in the second round; the previous year Leipzig did it in the quarterfinals. The squad is very motivated, but that is not only not enough. The first point in favor is that the team will start in pot 1, so you can have a more friendly giveaway. The next, and perhaps most important, is that will recover the Wanda Metropolitano effect, where Atleti is almost invincible. Reliability in the playoffs is key.

The Cup, accident tournament

Atlético has always been a cup team and Simeone especially likes it. However, the team has stuck two loud hits in the last two editions: Cornellà and Cultural. The rojiblancos are obliged to show their faces in the competition. Since 2013 he has not stepped into the final. The Cholo must find the balance between rotations to give minutes to the less usual and competitiveness that requires a tournament with rounds to a single match.

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The eternal dilemma of the game

Around Cholismo there is a constant debate on whether Atleti plays well or badly. Simeone has always been clear his plan, although this year he enriched it, encouraged among other things by the arrival of Suarez. Tested new systems, distancing himself from the classic 4-4-2, relocated footballers, cases of Carrasco and Koke, tried to empower others, such as Trippier, Hermoso and Lemar … The Atleti alternated sections of very good football and others in which they had more difficulties. Maintaining this evolution and keeping the results consistent is another challenge.

João Félix, third attempt

The challenge is for both the footballer and the coach. The Portuguese begins his third season with the need to respond to expectations and to be one of Atlético's leaders. Which he has done a few times, but regularly. El Cholo cannot miss the enormous talent of the '7', but the player has to help him. If João grows, it could be Atleti's quality leap for this season.

One step forward: Lodi, Kondogbia, Saúl …

One of the key points in the conquest of the League was the quality leap that some footballers made. Llorente is the first that comes to mind, but they are also Hermoso, Savic, Carrasco, Lemar, Correa … Now, in addition to João Félix, Simeone has to try to increase the performance of Lodi and Kondogbia, even of Vrsaljko, Herrera Y of course Saul, if they stay in the squad. Also Marcos Paulo.

Sports, social and economic stability

In football, results rule. If Simeone is doing well, Atlético is doing well and there are no problems. He directs the ship, meets the objectives, the footballers are happy with the project and even others want to join from outside. And in the Metropolitan Wanda everyone goes to one. Through the hands of Cholo, like it or not, the tranquility of the club passes at all levels. that responsibility also goes to the ground.

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Exploit the quarry

Year after year, Simeone has pulled from the quarry to complete training sessions and calls, but very few agree. In the 20-21, Ricard had 166 minutes, San Román, 90; Camel, 31; Soriano, 16 and Sanabria, 7. Manu Sánchez did make a place for himself, but he came out on loan in january. Of the 36 youth players who have debuted with the first team in the Cholo era, barely Lucas, Thomas and Saúl have had a tour. And things get complicated, because now B will play in Third RFEF, the fifth category, so the jump is tremendous.

A time of records

Simeone is already the coach with the most titles in the history of Atlético (eight) and the one with the most triumphs (316). He has directed 527 games and is just 85 from Luis AragonésSo if he fulfills the contract, he will overtake him in two seasons. Another record, this national: Miguel Muñoz managed Real Madrid 14 seasons in a row. Simeone is going for the 11th, if the contract ends it will be 13 and he would need to extend it even more to beat it. Fourteen years on the same bench sounds like another era. In Europe he tries to unseat Stéphane Moulin, who came to French Angers in the summer of 2011 and still continues.