Nor it matters the difficulty of the company, the complexity of the scenario or the level of the rival. The Athletic He has shown that every time he jumps onto a European stage, he competes at the highest level and takes his opponent to the extreme. On the other side of the divide may be the champion of Europe, the leader of the visiting country or a team full of stars. Those of Simeone they always show reasons to trust them. This happened last Tuesday in Do Dragao, last land conquered by the team that leads The cholo for the past ten years.
And it is that victory in Port adds to those achieved during past seasons in stadiums of the stature of San Siro, Anfield, Camp Nou, Allianz Arena or Stamford Bridge. In all of them, with the hymn of the Champions League In the background, the rojiblanco team has been able to emerge victorious. What seemed almost impossible before the arrival of Simeone It has become almost common with the Argentine on the bench.
The path of the 2013 – 2014 season could not have been more demanding
Just over two years after Simeone will start its journey through the band of Vicente Calderón the Europe footballer knew first-hand what the new Atlético de Madrid. He faced the rounds of the Champions League with a winning mentality that allowed him to reach the final of Lisbon and left on the way to Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea.
To begin with he met the Milan from Kaká, Balotelli, Essien or De Jong who had to Seedorf on the bench. I travel to San siro with the intention of competing knowing that the second leg was in the Calderon, but Athletic He then showed that he was ready to eat at the table of the great. With a goal from Diego Costa and an insurmountable defensive intensity took a 0-1 from Italy. Weeks later, before his fans, he closed the job with a 4-1.
After leaving one of the most successful teams out of the competition Europe the hype wanted it to be the Barcelona from Messi, Neymar and company who measured the level of Athletic. The first leg of the quarterfinals was played in the Camp Nou and the mattress team took a valuable draw to one. Goals away from home were worth double in case of signing a draw in the tie and the target of Diego Ribas it was key. The Brazilian scored a great goal to overtake the rojiblancos and the work that would culminate days later in the Calderon. On the shores of Manzanares it was Koke the one that closed the pass to the semifinals. The vallecano was in Milan, did not miss his appointment in the Barcelona and would stay on London, Munich, Liverpool and Porto.
Once two obstacles of the stature of Milan and Barcelona, the Chelsea separated the rojiblancos from the final of the Champions League. Londoners visited the Vicente Calderón and they took a zero tie, so Stamford Bridge the finalist was going to decide.
The Athletic traveled to the English capital with the need to beat a team that had stars like Hazard -at his best-, Fernando Torres, Eto’o, Azpilicueta, Willian or Terry at the service of Mourinho, who was directing from the bench. Neither the adverse environment nor the quality of the premises prevented the rojiblancos from scoring the Chelsea and got the pass thanks to the final 1-3. Adrian, Diego Costa penalty and Burn they were the scorers.
Atlético silenced the Allianz
Two years after losing the final of Lisbon the Athletic was planted in a new end of the Champions League. On this occasion, the different draws wanted the team of Simeone It did not have a path as complex as two seasons ago, but in the semifinals one of the greatest on the continent waited. The hype matched the rojiblancos with the Bayern and the return clash would be played in the Allianz.
After a victory by the minimum in the Vicente Calderón the machine had to be stopped Guardiola and it was done thanks to a bit of Griezmann. The rojiblancos were defeated 2-1, but the result was worth them to reach the appointment of Milan. With Lewandowski, Müller, Xabi Alonso, Alaba, Lahm or Ribery In the starting eleven, the Germans were not able to overcome the colchoneros.
Anfield, a night for history
In the midst of the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Atlético to Liverpool. Those of Simeone they played the pass to the quarterfinals in the 2019-2020 season against the champion of Europe. They had an income of a goal after the 1-0 achieved in the MetropolitanBut the English were still favorites.
In an environment in which many teams see their performance diminished and in front of players of the stature of Salah, Firmino or Mané, the Athletic kept the guy in the face of the local siege. Oblak it became huge and for everything parable and more until it appeared Llorente twice. The Madrilenian scored two goals for history and Morata closed the night. 1-3 before the world changed in a field that commands respect just by looking at it.
And last Tuesday the last page of the gold book of the Athletic on Europe. A work with many sheets to fill out yet. Simeone He has many pending accounts with the maximum continental competition and he will not stop until they are settled. The continent is warned.
