More Champions League QFs than Klopp - Simeone's Atlético keep exceeding expectation

When Argentine former player Diego Simeone took the reins at Atlético Madrid in 2011, the club had finished in the top four of La Liga just twice in fifteen seasons - on both of those occasions it was a fourth place finish. Atlético now, under Simeone’s stewardship, have finished in the top three for eleven consecutive years. That’s every full season he has been in charge. Breaking the supremacy of Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid has long been seen as an impossible task, but Simeone has managed to keep up with far less resources.

In Europe, he has become one of the most feared managers. Atlético take on Borussia Dortmund at the Wanda Metropolitano in the Champions League quarter-final this Wednesday. It’s the seventh time Simeone has steered the club to the last eight. In fact, the Argentine (7) has been to more Champions League quarter finals than Jürgen Klopp (6) Louis van Gaal (6) and Rafa Benitez (6). Add to that two La Liga titles, and a Copa Del Rey domestically, and the 53-year-old has done an outstanding job.

However, club football’s greatest prize has eluded him. Beaten twice in the final - once in extra-time, and once on penalties, and both to bitter city rivals Real Madrid. Although, Atlético did lift the Europa League in 2019 and back in 2012, and Simeone has built a real European pedigree at the club. With a current squad market value lower than 15th placed Brentford's (€426.08 million), the Argentine continues to have Atlético (€417.80m) punching above their weight. With Transfermarkt’s expert insight from Spain, we bring you more on Simeone’s excellent record in the Champions League.

Simeone’s Champions League record with Atlético Madrid

Prior to Simeone’s arrival at Atlético, the club had reached the Champions League quarter-final stage just five times in its entire history. With the Argentine as manager in the last 13 years, Atlético have made it to the last eight of the competition seven times. A remarkable feat. In his first four season’s in Europe’s top competition, Atlético made it to at least the quarter-finals on every occasion - twice to the final, once to the semi-finals and once to the quarters. The team was built on a compact defensive structure, hard work and strong counter attacking. In those first four season’s Simeone’s side conceded just 34 goals in 48 games - averaging 0.71 goals conceded per game. 10 of those goals were also conceded to Real Madrid, who went on to be champions in three of those four seasons.

In the following seven seasons, Atlético have found it more difficult to get to the latter stages of the Champions League, making it to the quarter final stage just three times in seven attempts. Still not a bad achievement for a club with a lower budget and following than Europe’s elite clubs. When you consider in that same stage, Atlético have been to more Champions League quarter-finals than Manchester United and Arsenal and only one less than Barcelona, it highlights that it's no real failure from Atletico. Simeone’s team have become a side synonymous with the Champions League. A feared opponent.

A lot of Atlético’s European success has been built around making their stadium a fortress. Whether that be at the old Vicente Calderon stadium or at the new Wanda Metropolitano, Atlético have a ruthless Champions League record on their own turf. Incredibly, Simeone has only lost five games of the 50 Champions League games his team has played at home, and his side haven’t lost a home tie in the competition since a 1-0 defeat to AC Milan in November 2021.

Transfermarkt content manager in Spain Iván Fuente tells us more about the Argentine’s impact at Atlético, “Simeone is the heart of the club. He is the core on which a competitive team is built, despite the problems it experiences every season. Simeone knows how to motivate his players. Especially when nobody gives them a chance. In recent seasons he has transformed his classic 4-4-2 into a 5-3-2 where the team actually performs better in attack than in defence.”

"The key for Atlético is the Metropolitano"

Fuente then goes on to explain the importance of the home leg against Dortmund in the club’s quest to make their first Champions League semi-final since 2017: “The key in the quarter-finals for Atlético is in the home game at the Metropolitano. If they manage to get a good result they can dream of reaching the semi-final. The team doesn't play very well away from home this season, where Atlético have won just seven of their 22 games so far this season, and have just one away win in the Champions League.”

Atlético Madrid’s ageing squad - From €955m to €417.80m in market value in 5 years

The recruitment at Atlético has let manager Simeone down in recent years. Big money signings such as João Felix (€127.20m transfer fee) and Thomas Lemar (€72m transfer fee) have not lived up to expectation, and have left the Argentine with an ageing team at his disposal. In 2019, Atlético Madrid possessed a squad with a market value of €955m. Just five years later it now stands at just €417.80m - only the 24th most valuable squad in the world, and behind English teams like Brentford, West Ham and Brighton. This is of course also reflective of the vast amounts of money Premier League clubs have spent compared to the rest of Europe in recent years. 

Iván Fuente tells us more on why Atlético’s market value has fallen, “The squad is getting old. Koke, Jan Oblak, Antoine Griezmann, and José Maria Giménez, for example, have all gone past their prime. The club has also sold important players in the last few seasons (Thomas Partey, Rodri, and even Félix) and has signed players who have not performed at the expected level (Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Memphis Depay). They have also begun to invest in younger players like Samuel Lino and Arthur Vermeeren, and veterans like Gabriel Paulista, Axel Witsel, and César Azpilicueta who don't have high market values.”

With an average of 28.7 years of age, Atlético’s squad has the second highest average age in the entire La Liga behind Rayo Vallecano (29.4). They also have the highest average age left in this season’s Champions League. While that may be a worrying factor for the future and it leaves the club with a low market value, the experience in Simeone’s ranks could be crucial and the manager knows just how to utilise them. The longevity and success the former player has experienced in the Spanish capital should not be underestimated, and don’t be surprised to see Simeone’s side progress further in this year’s competition.