Atletico boss Diego Simeone passed Luis Aragones as the one who has been more matches in charge of Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid’s 6-1 victory over Sevilla was the perfect tribute to Diego Simone who now surpasses Luis Aragones as the manager with the most matches in charge of Atletico Madrid.
This was Simeone’s 613th match in charge of Atletico. The club presented him with a framed commemorative jersey with “Legend, Simeone, 613” across the back before the La Liga game.
Simeone’s men had a tribute of their own in their mind as they managed to roll over Sevilla with a 6-1 thumping.
Depay scored a brace before the 30th minute but Sevilla managed to pull one back with Youssef En-Nesyri scoring. However, Griezmann and Carrasco made it 4-1 in the second half before a late-game brace from Alvaro Morata. Sevilla missed a penalty as well with Rakitic failing from the spot.
Simeone writes heartfelt letter to Aragones
“A night to enjoy and one that [Simeone] will surely not forget,” club captain Koke told Movistar after the game. “But hey, I’m sure he’s already thinking about the Girona game because his philosophy in life is like that.
“Bygones are bygones, and he always looks to the next game.”
He added: “You can’t imagine an Atletico Madrid without Simeone. I’ve been here for 11 years, he came with a very clear idea, he changed the mentality, brought us all together, given the club the stability it needed and hopefully it will continue for many years.
“He has a year and a half left on his contract and we’ll see what happens later.”
Even though Luis Aragones died in February 2014, Simeone posted a letter to him on social media, expressing his emotions.
“I understood that there was a person before everything that I had to write to, Luis“
Discussing the letter after the Sevilla game, Simeone told reporters: “Explaining feelings and emotions is difficult.
“I had no doubts seven or eight days ago, I began to think about what was happening and I understood that there was a person before everything that I had to write to, Luis. I talked about it with the family and they said it was a good idea.
“Why? We have travelled the same path; that respect for an eternal person; and passing the point that places me – by numbers, not by capacity – in the history of Atletico.
“Where I am, [Aragones] knows the difficulty. He knows the anger, the egos, living with the emotions, what the club needs, the coaching staff, that we must not make mistakes, that I must say the right word at the right time.
“We have made mistakes several times, but I am calm, I am at peace, because I am in the place where I want to be, I do what I like.
“I am excited to see when the team stands up and continues fighting until the end.”
