Written by Harry Gillies
Everyone thought it would be easy for Atletico Madrid, but is it that easy? There was some unusual behavior from Julian Alvarez when he ran the ball over the line for the third goal in the fifteenth minute. The Argentinian star also glanced, almost sympathetically, at Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, as if checking to see if he was right after another disastrous mistake. That was the end of Kinsky’s night, as Atleti would eventually pull off a 5-2 hammering of the North London side.
It was an Atleti victory over an English team with the usual accolades: a forced goal, coolly dispatched by Marcos Llorente, the relentless Diego Simeone – rousing the home fans on the touchline with every wave of his arm – Antoine Griezmann is simply brilliant.
Atleti’s season started a few weeks ago. The usual talk about El Cholo’s future continues, but the man in black has pulled it off once again, putting his team in contention for the season.
it reaches its critical point.
6 years ago today. ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/Q1HSzmTCfS
– Atlético Universe (@atletiuniverse) March 11, 2026
When Atleti were knocked out by Barca to reach the final of the Copa del Rey last week, Simeone told the media: “We are Atletico, we will suffer. The first leg showed that Atleti are one of the strongest attacking teams in Europe, as they thrashed the Catalans 4-0. But this inevitable suffering surrounded them, when Barca almost made another historic Remontada, but failed to win with 3-0. A miracle return is expected in Barcelona,
El Cholo arrived just in time for Christmas in 2011, bearing gifts far greater and more lasting than any Atleti fan could wish for the three kings. In the following ten years, Simeone and his team smashed the situation to pieces, returning the title and trophies to the old Vicente Calderon. But the tag stuck to them. Most of the world saw Atleti’s success as a product of hard, defensive work. They were the bullies, and angered many along the way, as well as the English experts when Atletico knocked their beloved, big one.
clubs from Europe – as they look to do so again.
Undoubtedly, there has always been a keen sense of battle in Atleti. A group with “mucha garra” – with a lot of bitterness – as they say in El Cholo’s country of Argentina. The team embodies the best
Players of the Spanish school, such as club legend and captain Koke, with a lot of help from strong footballers from the Rio de la Plata region in South America. For many years, Atleti had a strong fitness coach – Oscar ‘El Prof’ Ortega. The Uruguayan coach was old and relaxed, but also an overzealous sergeant. The players will put in a tough pre-season in Los Angeles de San Rafael, where El Profe forced them to run the golf courses in the sun. Fernando Torres once fell down on his seat, tired, pointing at Ortega: “There is a culprit, this is hell!”
Since winning the 2021 league title, Simeone’s men have lost the trophy. The conversation became more
The big deal is that Argentina’s reign may finally be over. El Cholo is very smart. Others
he may be tired of his old face, but brush it aside and return his club to one of the finals.
There was a strange beauty to Atleti’s survival mode performance against Barca. How do you
what a creative genius Lamine Yamal? You repeat three times to him, firmly protect his crossing, and pray that it is enough. Unlike the first leg Atleti players did not hunt; whether by design or otherwise, they protected themselves in packs, like wolves protecting their young – that’s the devotion to the cause he inspires. The crazy man in black is constantly moving and running up and down the touchline, as if he is close to the slide beating Yamal himself, or playing one-two with his son Giuliano.
Simeone has been accused of not getting the best out of Joao Felix, who has been accused of suppressing promising attacking players. The truth is that strikers thrive under Simeone – ask Falcao or Diego Costa. When things didn’t go well for Antoine Griezmann at Barca, he ran back to Atleti. The Frenchman is now pushing 500 appearances for the club. Before he leaves the Floridian, Griezmann will dream of helping Atleti lift their first Copa del Rey in 13 years.
The newly crowned prince of Atleti’s striker dynasty is of course Alvarez. At the beginning of
season, now team B coach Torres called him the best player in the world.
The striker is nicknamed La Arana (the spider) in his homeland, but as 2026 begins, his venom dries up. Alvarez had been without a goal for two months before the first game against Barcelona, but Simeone backed him up. In the semi-final, the spider bit again, scoring the last goal to win 4-0. His second goal against Spurs was a perfect example of all his qualities, showing his marker clean heels and clever movement, before drilling home a precise finish.
The links between Barcelona and the Premier League clubs will never end. Simeone could lose a club legend and current star player this summer. Atleti will still rely on top scorer Alexander Sorloth. The Norwegian has six goals in his last five games, including the opener in their 3-2 win over Real Sociedad, Los Colchoneros will be praying for a warm-up for the Copa del Rey final.
Simeone is part of a select few giants, one Atleti will not be able to fill the void. I
Argentina started the soccer revolution in Spain all those years ago, and it’s still very much alive.
