Simeone’s Atletico Madrid Set Sights on First Silverware in Five Years in Copa del Rey Showdown

Following a tense battle against Barcelona that saw them reach their first Champions League semi-final in nine years, Simeone’s squad is starting to envision bigger dreams.

A narrow 2-1 defeat on home soil was sufficient to see them advance 3-2 on aggregate, as the Metropolitano crowd released a sigh of relief when Atletico booked their place in the last four, where they will meet Premier League leaders Arsenal in the first leg in Madrid on April 29th.

However, before turning attention to Europe, there lies the pressing matter of Saturday’s final at Seville’s La Cartuja stadium.

Atletico aims for their 11th Spanish Cup and their first since 2013 against Pellegrino Matarazzo’s on-form Basque team.

For Simeone, this season is shaping up to be a crucial turning point.

Since joining during the 2011/12 season, the Argentine has drastically transformed Atletico’s fortunes, overseeing a decade that has brought two Europa League titles, two Champions League finals, La Liga triumphs in 2014 and 2021, and the Copa in 2013.

Real Madrid thwarted Simeone’s pursuit of European glory in the finals of 2014 and 2016, and again in the 2017 semi-final, but Atletico earned a reputation for being knockout specialists.

Lionel Messi’s Barcelona were eliminated twice in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Chelsea, AC Milan, and Bayern Munich also fell to Atletico during that formidable period.

Yet, since lifting the Europa League in 2018, the spark seemed to wane. The 2021 La Liga title, won in an empty stadium during the pandemic, remains their last piece of silverware.

In subsequent years, Atletico struggled through eight seasons without reaching a European semi-final or Copa final, and criticisms mounted this season—Simeone’s 14th—amid questions over the club’s direction and a four-year wait for major trophies.

Domestic form has done little to alleviate the pressure. Sitting fourth in La Liga, Atletico is 22 points behind leaders Barcelona and has been out of the title race since January.

However, knockout football has reignited some familiar feelings.

Atletico eliminated Lamine Yamal’s Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-finals and reignited memories of their European heroics from years past.

“Knocking Barca out in the Champions League quarter-finals is no easy feat,” Simeone remarked after Tuesday’s match.

“We’ve faced Messi’s Barcelona, Yamal’s Barcelona, and we’ve prevailed.”

“Having been here for 14 years, seeing the team compete still fills me with excitement. The players may have changed, and we’ve had to rebuild several times, yet here we are among the top four teams in Europe… What an exhilarating experience it is to play in a Champions League semi-final.”

For a fanbase accustomed to hardship, the narrative almost writes itself: a Copa final on Saturday, Arsenal looming, and the prospect of a grand match in Budapest on the horizon. Staying true to Simeone’s philosophy, though, it’s one match at a time.