Simone: Coaching Real Madrid or Barça “Impossible” or “Unlikely”

Diego Simeone, Atlético Madrid’s head coach, reflected on the club’s transformation since he assumed charge 15 years ago, noting that the team’s elevated standing has been matched by a sharp rise in expectations.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Simeone said: “Before, winning brought happiness; now, it brings relief.”

The Argentine manager added: “I’m struggling now because we’ve taken the club to a level where pressure is immense, expectations have soared, and our responsibility has grown significantly. Delivering a good season is no longer enough.”

He described meeting fan expectations after last season as a difficult task, following Atlético’s run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, their loss on penalties in the Copa del Rey final, and a fourth-place finish in La Liga.

Simeone stated the club’s minimum objectives must be reaching the Champions League final, winning the Copa del Rey, and finishing in the top two of La Liga — a competition featuring both Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Emphasizing that he still possesses the energy required to lead the team, Simeone confirmed Atlético will focus this season on “regaining the defensive solidity we lost, especially in the Champions League,” and on “increasing goal contributions from midfielders.”

He said: “I still believe we can pursue what our fans want — winning trophies. We’ll give everything to achieve that.”

He recalled Atlético’s league title drought before his arrival: “When I joined Atlético, the club hadn’t won the league since 1996. We won it in 2014 — 18 years later. We became champions again in 2021, seven years after that. The club must shorten those intervals.”

On his future at Atlético, Simeone declined to set a clear timeframe for how long he intends to remain, and explicitly rejected pursuing longevity records held by managers such as Arsène Wenger, who spent 22 years at Arsenal, or Alex Ferguson, who managed Manchester United for 27 years.

“I only think about the energy, strength, and humility we need to be here,” he said.

Simeone highlighted the difficulty of competing in Spain, saying: “We are at a club that competes with two giants… We’re now in a special position, but the teams behind us want to challenge us.”

He continued: “At Atlético, you must always be fully focused — at 110%. Because 100% isn’t enough to win in Spain. You must evolve daily and retain your humility, as the teams behind us continue to progress.”

Simeone left open the possibility of managing Argentina’s national team in the future, saying it could happen “later.”

He praised Argentina’s performance at the most recent FIFA World Cup and commended national team head coach Lionel Scaloni’s work as “tremendous,” while acknowledging Spain was the better side in the final match.

When asked whether he might one day coach Real Madrid or Barcelona, Simeone responded distinctly: “One is definitely impossible. The other, I don’t think so.”