No, it’s not good enough. It never was, and never will be. However, despite everything, things have not changed at all. Atletico Madrid are in poor shape, even by their standards. No one can say that he should be considered to go with Real Madrid and Barcelona to challenge for the title. Too much difference in spending, wages and culture to demand that from Diego Pablo Simeone’s men. Still, they have to fight. Every single season, at least until it dries up in the spring. And even more so after spending so much money in the last two transfer markets. With new investments, the time has come to look for a step up, but the Colchoneros have mentally locked themselves into a state of perpetual turmoil.
It seems impossible, that after so many summers investing heavily and restarting the project, the defenders of Atlético Madrid are Robin Le Normand – a chaos of travel – and Jose Gimenez, the Uruguayan most prone to injuries that the world has ever seen. It doesn’t make sense that Nahuel Molina is still part of a team that is fighting for both the league and the Champions League, and that Jan Oblak needs to perform miracles week in and week out to clean up the mess his defense often leaves him.
Simeone’s first title was awarded with the Europa League title, the Copa del Rey and La Liga titles, and he also played in the Champions League final twice. Of course, the likes of Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa, and Antoine Griezmann had all the credit, but Simeone’s defense was a major strength. In the likes of Diego Godin and Miranda, he had a brilliant centre-back duo. Juanfran on the right, and especially Filipe Luis on the left, were some of the best in the world. Strong and loyal, they allowed the group to move forward without fear of being exposed.
Ten years later, the Argentinian manager has been completely unable to restart that defensive line. He tried back-four, back-three and back-five, but nothing worked. Atletico have spent money, a lot, but they have never come close to finding the next Godin, the next Miranda or the next Filipe. Atletico’s defense is getting worse with each passing season, and the club continues to make the same mistakes in the transfer market that are delaying much-needed change, especially since Oblak, as smart as he is, can be young.
However, even if that was the only problem for Atletico, it would be fixed, but in 2026, Koke is still the most reliable midfielder in the Atletico team. The same Koke who had to fight for a place in the starting XI with players like Gabri, Tiago or Saul Niguez even when he first entered. Pablo Barrios is a great opportunity for a top player, but he is not quite there yet, and there is no plan B in the most important position on the pitch, a side that needs to find a balance between their defensive weaknesses and their attacking limitations.
Yes, Julian Alvarez may be the type of striker one would expect from a club that was chasing the likes of Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguero or Falcao, but more was expected of Alexander Sorloth. Despite all the effort and attitude from Giuliano Simeone, Atleti still lack clarity in front of goal. So much so that Antoine Griezmann who is almost retired is still needed to help from time to time. Indeed, Simeone has invested in three attacking midfielders to support Alvarez, and despite all the promise, neither Thiago Almada nor Alex Baena are available, either through injury or lack of confidence. What Atletico Madrid is today, in January 2026, remains a mystery based on a series of past mistakes.
💣🚨 BREAKING: Pablo Barrios MAY be out of the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Real Madrid. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE for him to participate following today’s tests.
He will still go with the team if they reach the finals, there is little chance that they will make it.@marca pic.twitter.com/lyoELigcCE
– Atlético Universe (@atletiuniverse) January 5, 2026
Last summer, Atletico spent a little money. Most of the signees are yet to prove their worth; 22 million euros for Giacomo Raspadori makes no sense, as does 17 million euros for Matteo Ruggeri, who did not perform well in the first half of the season. Between Johnny Cardoso and David Hancko, who do not have a good game to their names, the club spent more than 50 million euros. In Marc Pubill and Thiago Almada, there are prospects for the future, but they were worth, combined, a total of €40m. Give or take, 120 million euros for six players who have contributed little to the project so far, not to mention the signing of Baena, who should have been the manager of the club.
Last season was no different. Alvarez is a brilliant, out-of-form player, but the 75 million euros spent on him sets expectations too high. In the same summer, Conor Gallagher cost 42 million euros that no one can explain (except when looking at the exit of Joao Felix, another topic), in the same way that Le Normand and Sorloth combined cost 70 million euros. The total is over €330m in two summer transfers, which is a record for Atletico.
They have been sold, too, to keep the books balanced, but this means that, save for one or two players, the investment has not yet paid off. Not only that, it has not solved the team’s problems since before the 2024 trade market. An open, weak defensive line, lacking reliable players at each position. A central midfielder who lacks both brilliance and a commanding presence. Wingers who can assist and score freely, and a player who can be a creative hub, in the same way Griezmann once was. If Baena were to step into the Frenchman’s shoes to play for Alvarez, Atletico would be set back something in the region of €140m for both, but still miles from the heights of Costa-Falcao, or Arda Turan-Griezmann, who arrived for much less.
And that’s the problem. There are – and the market is there to prove it – much better players out there than the ones signed by the club. At low cost. That comes with several questions. Is Simeone the main man behind the signing? If so, how come he keeps making it so bad? Does Mateu Alemany’s arrival mean the club will be moving on to another team in the near future, and can he right the wrongs done so far?
How will the club get rid of disaster players like Le Normand or Raspadori without risking the money available for future signings? Simeone is often referred to as a manager who wants any signings to pass a number of confidence tests before getting regular football. Some players survive this kind of leap of faith; others do not. As with other commanders who share his philosophical traits, for Simeone, it is difficult to find soldiers ready to die for him.
It’s a very different situation from what happened with Jose Mourinho a few years ago. Managers won the dressing room with football principles, of course, but also with the no-nonsense attitude that was instilled in the players’ souls. But, for that, the players need to be built differently, intellectually, and the new generations are not interested in that talk like the previous ones. They want to have fun, play amazing football and get back home to their lives. They have become office clerks in a way, not soldiers. And expensive too.
The best left back Atleti have had since Filipe left is Yannick Carrasco, who wasn’t even a left back.
— Jeremy Beren (@JBBeren) January 5, 2026
What is clear is that Atletico Madrid has spent enough money that until April, they are in contention for the title, and competing in the quarter finals of the Champions League. Today, they seem far from both. It’s not that they are playing badly – in fact, for some weeks they have been the best team in La Liga – but they keep making the same mistakes on the pitch, mistakes that often come from the same mistakes, especially in the transfer market.
Why pay so much for Raspadori when Alberto Moleiro is available in Las Palmas? Why spend less money on the likes of Hancko and Le Normand, when they can’t claim to be better than any bottom-table defense partnership? Why are Koke and Barrios the only midfielders available, in a league with the best midfielders in the world? Those questions need answers and, even if Simeone knows he is out of touch at the club and among the fans, if Atlético ever want to be a serious title contender – even if they are trailing Barcelona and Real Madrid – there are problems they cannot ignore for long. There is a lot of hope for the Metropolitano in the coming seasons, the areas around the stadium, and the new investors coming in, but they need to fix it on the pitch. And they never have.
