Recently, The Athletic discussed the future of Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, stating that reaching a contract extension remains the most probable outcome for both parties.
The 56-year-old Simeone has been at the helm of Atletico Madrid since December 2011, spanning nearly 15 years, and stands as the most successful manager in the club’s 113-year history. He has guided the team to eight major trophies: two La Liga titles, two UEFA Europa League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, one Copa del Rey, and one Supercopa de España.
Simeone’s current contract is set to expire at the end of this season, carrying an annual salary of approximately €16.5 million. The two sides last finalized an extension in November 2023. Currently, his sister and agent, Natalia Simeone, has yet to initiate substantive contract renewal talks with the club. According to anonymous dressing-room sources, the players are not discussing Simeone’s future amongst themselves. Simeone’s camp has likewise declined to comment on the matter, and for now, everyone within the club has opted to wait and see how the campaign unfolds.
A critical run of fixtures looms ahead for Atletico: hosting Manchester United at the Metropolitano Stadium in the Champions League in midweek, followed by high-profile home encounters against Bayern Munich and Barcelona in November. At present, Simeone faces no job security crisis, and his long-standing partnership with the club's board remains rock solid. Although the team has endured a five-year trophy drought, the Simeone era has thoroughly reinvented Atletico Madrid.
Before Simeone took over, Atletico were saddled with debt, languishing in the bottom half of La Liga, and playing at the aging Vicente Calderon. Today, the club is firmly entrenched among Europe’s footballing royalty as a perennial Champions League competitor, having reached the final twice in 2014 and 2016, suffering heartbreaking defeats both times to cross-city rivals Real Madrid. The club has since relocated to the 70,000-capacity Riyadh Air Metropolitano—the very venue that will stage this season’s Champions League final, amplifying the squad's burning desire to capture the European crown.
In recent years, the club has invested heavily, committing around €470 million to transfer spending over the past three seasons. This summer, the club took a firm stand to retain Julian Alvarez, rebuffing Barcelona's advances. Significant developments have also unfolded in the boardroom: American private equity firm Apollo Global Management became the majority shareholder last year, while NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joined the club's ownership group as an investor.
Last season, Atletico finished fourth in La Liga, 25 points adrift of champions Barcelona. On the continental stage, they knocked out Barcelona en route to reaching the Champions League semi-finals, before falling to Arsenal. In the Copa del Rey, they defeated Barcelona again in the semi-finals, only to lose the final to Real Sociedad on penalties. At the onset of the current campaign, affected by the transfer speculation surrounding Alvarez, Atletico dropped their Champions League opener 1-2 away to Liverpool. However, they mounted a fierce resurgence with a four-game winning streak, which included a home victory over Real Madrid prior to the international break. Following last weekend’s 2-1 away triumph over Alaves, Atletico sit second in La Liga, trailing leaders Barcelona by five points.
Tactically, this iteration of Atletico Madrid is no longer defined solely by the rugged, iron-curtain defending of earlier years; the squad boasts an abundance of attacking talent: Julian Alvarez, Jonathan David (on loan from Juventus), Alex Baena, Alexander Sorloth, and Ademola Lookman. The coaching staff also underwent changes this summer, with long-time assistant Nelson Vivas departing and former Atletico midfielder Gabi stepping into the dugout.
The UEFA Champions League trophy remains Simeone's ultimate obsession—the only major prize missing from his distinguished career as both a player and manager. Insiders suggest that had Atletico clinched the Champions League last season, Simeone might have chosen to walk away, considering his cycle with the club complete.
The closest the two sides ever came to parting ways was during the 2022-23 campaign, when Atletico suffered a dismal group-stage exit from the Champions League and CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin openly explored hiring Luis Enrique as his successor; nonetheless, both sides ultimately agreed to an extension in 2023.
It remains difficult to envision an Atletico Madrid without Diego Simeone, and taking everything into account, a contract extension remains by far the most likely outcome. The dream scenario for Atletico would be for Simeone to hoist the club's first-ever Champions League trophy on their home ground, bringing down the curtain on a legendary tenure in fairy-tale fashion.
