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"Choooooolo!" A high-pitched shout from the stands opened Atletico Madrid's morning training at the Civitas Metropolitano on Saturday. An open day included by the club in the traditional children's day that will continue in the duel this Sunday against Osasuna (16.15, Movistar LaLiga). Among the children and adults who accompanied them, about 9,000 people attended the session in which the technician was acclaimed. At the end, while the players kicked balls signed by them to the stands, Diego Pablo Simeone inflamed the girl by giving autographs. The fans are now the greatest supporter of the Argentine coach, who lives a novel contractual situation.
For the first time in 13 years, and only one year before the end of his contract, negotiations for an extension have not yet begun, according to the parties involved. The six renewals that Simeone has signed since he took charge of the team in 2011, were either announced between February or March, or when they were finalized in the summer it was after there was evidence of previous negotiations between Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, the club's maximum shareholder, and Natalia Simeone, sister and representative of the coach. All the extensions, with the consequent and notable increases in emoluments that Simeone earned, were signed under a climate of euphoria and the feeling that there was no other tenant of the bench more appropriate to direct the destinies of the team. Now, although the team is one point away from qualifying for the next Champions League after a notable improvement in the game and results, the jubilation has diminished in the offices. Nor does it seem that the previous economic bonanza will preside over the next renewal of the technician, if it occurs. Simeone has already reduced his emoluments from just over 20 million euros net to 16.5 to help alleviate the effects that the pandemic generated in the club's coffers. Maintaining his current salary in a hypothetical next agreement does not seem feasible in the eyes of the entity.
The delay in facing the new commitment responds to the doubts that seized the red-and-white leaders after the bad start of the campaign. The elimination in the first phase of the Champions League, without even the stone of playing the Europa League to occupy the last place in a group with Porto, Brugge and Leverkusen did damage. That the team was ruled out of the fight for the league title before the break for the World Cup in Qatar also invited the leadership not to start formal talks to extend the coach's contract. Externally and internally this is the season that has most disputed the continuity of Simeone. In the worst moments of the course, it was even questioned that Simeone exhausted his link until 2024.
What happened in the tribute that the club prepared for him for having become the coach with the most games in its history was significant. With the Metropolitan's auditorium packed with guests and press, Simeone presided over a warm and emotional tribute. There was no lack of thanks, but it was surprising that in their speeches neither Gil Marín, nor President Enrique Cerezo, expressed the typical "let's hope you are many more years."
The biggest doubts of the leadership towards the coach were fed by the feeling that the team had gotten out of hand. So much so that there were consultations with Simeone himself and the heavyweights of the squad to test their energy levels. In this sense, the recovery experienced in the second part of the course plays in favor of Simeone. In the offices they admit that a team that seemed dead before the World Cup has come back to life. The messages of the club and Simeone himself are now resounding regarding that he will fulfill the year of his remaining contract.
Another thing will be the negotiations for renewal. Simeone had never presented himself in inferiority with respect to the club. Under the successes achieved, Natalia Simeone sat down to negotiate with Gil Marín in clear and fair advantage to monetize in her brother's accounts the exponential growth to which he has led club. Both have naturally accepted this novel delay in opening the negotiation. His great card, apart from the merits contracted, is that until the sale of the club takes place, scheduled for when the project of the sports complex annexed to the Metropolitano is finished, neither Gil Marín nor Cerezo will find another coach that provides them with more stability among the social mass. Although that power also worries them.</CW><CW-7>
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