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- High praise for Simeone
In a recent interview, club president Enrique Cerezo heaped some lofty praise onto manager Diego Simeone.
“We would love if Simeone became Atlético’s version of Ferguson,” Cerezo said.
The reference of course is to Sir Alex Ferguson, who helmed Manchester United for 26 seasons from 1986 to 2013—a staggering number in the modern game, when managers are often jettisoned at the first whiff of poor form.
Making such a comparison demonstrates the long term commitment Cerezo and Atlético Madrid are making to Simeone, as well as the potential for success they see in the Argentine.
Still, Simeone has a long way to go to match the accolades earned by Ferguson’s Red Devils who won basically everything an English club can win at least once during his tenure, including 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League crowns and 5 FA Cups.
If the next 20 years bring even a smattering of that type of success, it’ll be a fun ride.
- Atlético respond to Barcelona’s claims about away tickets
Atlético have claimed that the same amount of tickets were made available for Barcelona in the upcoming match at the Wanda Metropolitano as were made available to previous visitors. Barcelona opted out of accepting any tickets after the number of available seats was reportedly decreased.
It’s possible that both clubs are telling the truth, as Atleti have struggled to keep up with the demand for tickets at their new stadium. It’s possible that Barça were quoted a larger figure before Atlético fully understood the draw of their new ground. Either way, the decision to decline any tickets seems like a bit of a tantrum on Barça’s part.
Still, the situation does highlight relative lack of an away culture in LaLiga.
What do you think? Could the league benefit from a mandated allotment for away fans as is the case in other major leagues? The Bundesliga, for instance, mandates that 10 percent of a stadium’s capacity be allotted for away fans, while the Premier League has a fixed rate of £20 that clubs can charge away supporters for seats.