Simeone, under the magnifying glass before his favorite rival

Atlético returns to action after another complex week. The injection of morale from the comeback against Valencia two days ago came to nothing after the defeat at the Camp Nou, a 4-2 against Barça in which the colchoneros did not end badly but in which they were clearly surpassed at times. The stumble again took the rojiblanco team out of the Champions positions, the minimum objective in the club, and questioned Simeone’s direction again.

That is why the Argentine coach faces the duel against Getafe under the microscope of the Metropolitan. An athletic reaction is necessary and the truth is that the rival, beyond his good tone since the arrival of Quique Sánchez Flores on the Azulón bench, is historically the ideal opponent for Cholo. Twenty matches, 18 in the League and two more in the Copa del Rey, for a total of 17 mattress wins and three draws. A more balanced balance is difficult in a duel so many times repeated in the last decade, but it is also that the thing acquires tints of blue curse if one takes into account that in all those games Getafe added a goal, the one in the first leg this very season at the Coliseum.

The records say a lot about the usual good athletic defensive performance, that hallmark that seems lost this year. Many of Cholo’s pending tasks pass through there. Giménez falls due to covid-19 and presumably Felipe will accompany Savic. At the Camp Nou, Mario Hermoso was a blessing for powerhouse Adama Traoré down the left flank of the red and white defense. There emerges the figure of Reinildo Mandava, winter reinforcement with many options to debut as a starter before his fans.

The other revalidation of Simeone goes through the role of Joao Félix, very much in doubt because he was seen disconnected and apathetic against Barça. That between coach and player the understanding does not flow is evident, even more so after the umpteenth disagreement this week, on account of some statements by the Portuguese in which he claimed to know where the problem was with the lack of results at Atlético. «About Joao, you can ask him. If he knows what is happening to the team, it would be good if he said so », said the coach in the preview of the match against Getafe. Another poisoned dart to the Portuguese.

Face a Getafe in positive dynamics. Míchel left with a team that threatened to break negative records and Quique Sánchez Flores arrived to completely change the dynamics, reaching a comfortable seven-point lead over the relegation places. It so happens that the Madrid coach also left a good taste in the mouths of Atlético fans after his time at the club between 2009 and 2011, with a Europa League title, a European Super Cup and harmony with the masses social mattress.