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Despite celebrating his 1000th managerial match last weekend, Diego Simeone still retains the passion of a young football talent. He regards leading Atletico Madrid in the Champions League as a source of youthful vitality, once again shining with pride and joy in his eyes.
"Playing in the Champions League semi-final… Wow… It’s incredible. It’s absolutely thrilling," the Atletico Madrid head coach said on the night his side qualified for the last four. “After 14 years coaching here, I am deeply moved to see the team maintain such form and return to the top four in Europe once again.”
According to club insiders, reaching the Champions League semi-final for the first time in nine years has been regarded as "a huge relief" by the 56-year-old Argentine manager.
"He is delighted that he can still lead the team to compete at the highest level. It has allowed him to relax completely, and it is clear he wants to cherish every moment," sources close to Simeone revealed. The manager is "obsessed with winning the Champions League trophy, a lifelong challenge for him". He "firmly believes this season is finally his chance" and is "more determined than ever" to achieve the goal, laying to rest the regrets of losing the finals in 2014 and 2016.
Ahead of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Barcelona, with aggregate scores of 2-0 and 1-2, the manager surprisingly abandoned his usual mantra of "taking one game at a time", instead stating that "we still have five matches left to play".
"This speaks volumes about his belief and confidence," club insiders stressed. Alongside Atletico Madrid's veteran players including Antoine Griezmann, Koke and Jan Oblak, Simeone dreams of becoming the first manager to bring the Champions League trophy to Atletico Madrid and cement his legendary status in football history. It is the ultimate honour he has craved for fourteen years.
Even if he faces another setback in the tournament, the Argentine’s contract with Atletico Madrid runs until 2027, and he will maintain his connection with the club for the long term.
"He will stay at the club next season," confirmed senior figures at Atletico Madrid. The club’s management plans to offer him a ninth contract renewal, making him the longest-serving manager across Europe’s top five leagues. Officials believe the coach, who is set to lead Los Rojiblancos into the Champions League for the 14th consecutive season, is the cornerstone of the club’s stability in top-tier European competitions and the foundation of its future project.
Could he join Inter Milan one day?
Simeone is convinced that he has a new generation of talented players capable of winning trophies soon within his squad, including Julian Alvarez, Ademola Lookman, Barrios, Baena and Giuliano Simeone. He fully embraces the club’s ambitious vision. In March this year, US investment fund Apollo Group became a major shareholder of Atletico Madrid with strong financial backing. The arrival of renowned sporting director Mateu Alemany has further strengthened his resolve to stay.
Though he has always mentioned his desire to manage Inter Milan in the future, where he played as a player from 1997 to 1999, he has no plans to accept an offer from the Nerazzurri at present. He once harboured a strong wish to coach in the Premier League, but has seemingly abandoned the idea after struggling to learn English.
"Just like Griezmann, he will decide for himself when to leave," a senior official at Atletico Madrid asserted. Ahead of Tuesday’s match against Arsenal, however, Simeone is fully focused on the present. He hopes to eventually write the finest chapter of his football career alongside Atletico Madrid.