The Worst Atlético Under Simeone Sees the Season of Hope Slip Away

No team invested as much in strengthening its squad as Atlético de Madrid. A millionaire project that sees, for the first time in the twelve seasons Diego Simeone has been the red-and-white coach, it is ten points behind the leader after eleven matches played. Everything is a final for a team that, despite being the least scored against in the national championship, is showing vulnerability, and has never been ten points behind the leader at this stage of the season.

It must, by obligation and due to its players, raise the level of demand. Fourth in the League, with two defeats in three Champions League matches - currently out of the next round - and dragging a lamentable image after the defeat against Betis, it arrives at the duel in the Metropolitano against Las Palmas in the worst stage of the Argentine coach at the helm of the red-and-white ship. Until now, and despite walking on a tightrope on some occasions during the last decade, nothing has ever happened with the Buenos Aires native. But of course, this time he deals with a great squad and is further than ever from the solid Barcelona.

Cholo does not know if his good performances against the eternal rival will save him again, a struggling Madrid that has turned its calm waters into a powder keg with a lot of noise in recent times. The classic match-by-match approach seems not to satisfy the most demanding fan, after getting excited with a squad that has strengthened in all its lines and is asked for greater competitiveness.

Atlético has lost the identity that led it to play two Champions League finals and win two Leagues. That last league title marks the point of decline for the red-and-whites. After eleven matches in the League, the balance is five wins, five draws, and one defeat. 16 points achieved out of a possible 33. Numbers that are quite improvable if one starts the season with the idea, a priori, of fighting for the title against the two greats.