Could it have got any worse for Atletico Madrid after a turgid defeat to Eibar on the weekend? Turns out it has after an embarrassing elimination at the hands of third tier Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey. Now let's be clear. Atletico not winning the Copa isn’t going to define their season. But in the context of what has transpired so far, this defeat takes the Rojiblancos rock bottom in morale and then some.
Diego Simeone has explained his sides woes by claiming that this a transition period for the club after the departures of Diego Godin, Juanfran and Filipe Luis. Nobody can dispute the effect that the departure of these stalwarts has had on the defence. The problem for Atletico however, is in attack. And in attack, the transition excuse doesn’t wash. We’ve all seen this movie before. Big money spent on exciting new players that ultimately can’t adjust to the manager’s style. It’s still way too early to pass a verdict on Joao Felix, but the list of Simeone attacking busts is big enough to be worried about the Portuguese forward. And then there’s the two midfield leaders, Saul and Koke, the creativity and flair drenched and dripped out of them after years of prioritizing blood and sweat under their manager. Are they also in transition?
Make no mistake, Diego Simeone is an Atletico Madrid legend. He could never win another trophy and yet be rightly hailed as one of the great modern managers. But the underdog story doesn’t cut it anymore. There comes a time when a team has to become expansive in their evolution. Simeone used to have a balance, but now even when there is a need, Atletico seem clueless in creating chances. It may sound harsh, but perhaps in the summer, it is Atleti who need to transition out of Simeone.