No Plans for Simeone to Leave Atletico

It is the day after Atlético Madrid's loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League final -- perhaps a match we will hence refer to as The Match That Cannot Be Named (although really, that honor goes to Lisbon in 2014). And with the day after comes a chum fest of speculation over Diego Simeone's future.

Let's clear it up right now: Simeone is not planning to move on.

News outlets would love for this to be true. It would mean endless articles speculating where he might end up, and spark a frenzy from clubs who want him.

But it is patently untrue.

Simeone spoke after the match and said a few things that several news outlets snatched up with glee and ran with, choosing not to look at all of his words. He said:

"I'm very sad for not being able to respond to them [the fans] as they expected me to, to give them this long-awaited Champions title. We have had the possibility of reaching a Champions League final twice in three years. Coming second is a failure because I do not think that just reaching the final is something fantastic.

"The truth is that the team has responded very well to a very difficult Champions because we had to play against Bayern, Barcelona and Real Madrid. And that makes you think. How am I not going to think, when I reached two finals, didn’t lose either in the 90 minutes and won none? You have to think."

The Guardian reported that he said: "Do I have to continue with Atlético or is it the end of a cycle? I have to think about that. It’s a logical question for you to ask after a defeat like the one we’ve suffered today."

What he actually said was,

"I’m considering taking some time off to reflect, nothing more. I am bound to Atlético and feel loved. It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t stop and reflect after losing two finals. It’s only logical.

'We need to continue working, I have to think things out on my part. That’s what I’m doing now. What is clear to me is that nobody remembers the losers. Losing two finals is a failure. We have to get over this and heal our wounds."

This is Simeone doing what a world-class manager should do: looking carefully at how and why they lost yesterday. It could, in the end, be simply bad luck -- Antoine Griezmann missing a penalty and Juanfran hitting the post in his penalty kick -- or it could be a slight shift in the way he plays his team.

Simeone will unlikely move anywhere until the new stadium is built. Additionally, he is supported and loved at Atlético, and his work there is not done.

I believe he will stay until he sees a Champions League win. Atleti are close. Very close. It is a world-class team with some of the best players in the world. That Cholo wanted a Champions League win this season is fact, and his disappointment is felt by us all.

Take heart -- Atletico will be back. And Simeone will lead the charge.