The award-winning Argentine coach made his debut in charge of Atlético Madrid at La Rosaleda almost thirteen years ago.
This edition of The Copa del Rey is a dream for Marbella CF. After beating Bergantiños (1-2) and Burgos (1-0) in their respective rounds, they now have a date with history ahead of them. Fran Beltrán’s team will face Diego Pablo Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid. As a curiosity, at the end of the 90s, the city of Marbella was the main sponsor of Club Atlético de Madrid. This is not the only particularity of this confrontation, since This match will be played at La Rosaledahome of Málaga CF and stadium where the Argentinian made his debut as coach of the red and white entity.
December 22, 2011. The Club Atlético de Madrid dismisses Gregorio Manzano after 28 games in power. That of Bailén was experiencing his second stage at the club, but the elimination in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Manzano. Albacete, his executioner. The capital team was ninth in the standings and sought to make a splash with the hiring of Diego Pablo Simeone. Wow, he gave it away. The Madrid team finished the season in fifth place (two points behind Malaga, who qualified for the Champions League qualifying round) and won the Europa League after beating Marcelo Bielsa’s Athletic Club by three to zero . This was just the prelude to everything that was to come.
The Argentinian coach spoke about it in the press conference before their Cup match: “It’s clear that it was very nice, it was the beginning. It was a journey and a path with many positive things for the club, for the team, for us as a coach. Well, it turns out that a few days after turning thirteen, we return to the same stadium with another rival who has improved in recent matches.
With two Leagues, a Copa del Rey, two Europa Leagues, a Spanish Super Cup and two European Super Cups and two Champions League finalists, Simeone is, without a doubt, one of the most important technicians in Atleti’s history. Since the arrival of the Argentinian, the red and white have been living a fairy tale, but every story has its beginning. This coach’s match took place at La Rosaleda, against Manuel Pellegrini’s Malaga. This match ultimately ended in a goalless draw, but that was only the beginning of the story for the rojiblancos.
Simeone too He valued everything that was achieved in the club in his appearance before the clash against Marbella: “I think we have exceeded the best that I expected and we have come all this way of thirteen years with a lot of people accompanying us, with a lot of footballers, with the unconditional support always of the club. Without forgetting our people who have always been close to our work because of the results without a doubt too. Well, as a coach, yes, of course, we have always sought to improve, to change, to seek different situations. “We won a league with 4-4-2, we won another league with 5-3-2, we competed pretty well the last few years finding the goals that made us grow so much.”
Thousands of things have happened since then. Although it seems that life hasn’t changed much in Manzanares. Atleti arrive at La Rosaleda as leaders of the First Division to face Marbella. All this from the hand of his beloved Cholo. He changed his shield (even if he reverted to the old one), he changed his stage, but the only thing that has remained sustainable during all this time has been Cholo and his ability to make an entire Atlético de Madrid compete. A return to the beginnings which will not overshadow the history of Marbella, which will experience a historic night with the return of Simeone.
