The Mets have not been the Mets since that penalty on March 4, 2025.
At that moment, the air of meaning seemed to be sucked out of the metropolis, and the fire of obsession was suddenly extinguished, leaving only nothingness. All the efforts and prayers turned into absurdity, there was no anger, no disappointment, just a vacuum of sadness. The building is still standing, but the remaining games are just a formality. The decline has also spread to the Club World Cup, and even breathing is in vain.
The exchange of blood in the summer window not only brought pain, but also meant the reconstruction of identity, which made the team lose itself at the beginning of the 25/26 season. There were two draws and one loss at the beginning. Espanyol, Elche, and Alaves were all weak, and they all had hidden edges. What's even more cruel is that the core new players have been injured and retired one after another, leaving a new system that has not yet been self-consistent. The team seemed to have just woken up from a nightmare, but fell into the quagmire again.
At the moment of crisis, Simeone personally took action and accepted a 48-minute interview with COPE Radio; as the head coach, he assumed the responsibility of speaking that should have been sporting director. He knew that it was humiliation and torture, but he still went to the meeting, perhaps just to express this paragraph：
Porque ahora estoy vivo. Because I'm still alive now. Ahora estoy vivo. Now, I'm still alive. Entonces, gentlemen, quiero, gentlemen. So, the people I love, they are now. Es ahora, que la gente esté ahora, Right now, they are here. ¿ Por qué? Porque ahora estamos vivos. Why? Because we are here right now. Ya después, será todo lo vivido Everything after that is just a memory of the past. Pero ahora necesitamos a la gente. Now, what we need is each other's presence. ¿ Porqué necesitamos a la gente? Why do we need everyone? It's important to me Because they are the vital core of the club. y Dentro del Equipo Because they are the vital core of the team. y dentro de lo que sucede en los partidos Because they are an important part of everything that happens in the game.
The core message of Simeone is very clear: If we really get to the day when we break up with Atlético, it will not be difficult to leave memories and say goodbye decently; but in the dark trough, it is difficult for people to still be willing to understand, empathize and support each other.
Since then, Atlético has been twisted into a rope, playing each game as a final. Although the running-in was still stumbling, between wins and losses, the team gradually began to breathe.
Facing against Villarreal, as the living history of the Red and White Legion, Koke and Griezmann used the old to introduce the new, reviewed the old system, won the first victory, and relieved anxiety; a fierce battle against Liverpool, despite Short of a major general, they conceded two goals in the opening game, but Llorente and Cholito counterattacked from the inside and outside, fighting for a way out behind Soboslayi and almost escaping; in the away game against Mallorca, facing the low defense, Atlético's idea of suppressing the opponent's half and passing the ball from the bottom is beginning to take shape, but the coordination of the first and second lines and the player's condition are both insufficient. Sørloth even engages in a personal humiliating battle: weak aerial challenge, inexplicable drops, red cards, and attracting the ball. Fans of hatred; in the reverse of Rayo Vallecano, in the second half, the two forwards opened up the space in the ribs. Álvarez finally came back to itself in the second line space. It was in poor condition but still wore a hat. Atlético reconstructed itself in the frontcourt, and since then it has begun to show its light.
Forward pressure, both wings flying together
Compared with the reliance on the right side of the offense in the 24/25 season and the beginning of this season, with the arrival of Nico Gonzalez, Atlético finally no longer suffers from hemiplegia. Both sides can advance deeply and look for the player who can slant into the gap at the last moment, thereby tearing apart the depth between the center back and full back.
Starting from the starting position of Ruggieri Almada, Atlético has handed over the left wing to the left back this season. Compared with Ruggieri, who was born as a wing back, is used to expanding outside and has poor single defense, Hanzko can execute tactics better. He can exchange with Nico inside and outside the frontcourt, giving his ribs an extra power point that can hit the penalty area, which makes Real Madrid very uncomfortable.
If Raul Garcia was once the atypical No. 10 loved by Simeone, as the buzzer signing selected by Simeone, Nico is the echo of Raul Garcia. He is not a pure winger, nor a traditional inside midfielder. He can not only fight in close combat in defense, but also provide width in offense. He can not only penetrate in series as a shadow forward, but also attack the penalty area as a forward. Nico and Lauga are not poets, but they allow poets to write poems. The simple and precious balance they bring makes it possible for Atlético to fly together.
He can switch roles between the wing and the penalty area, building a bridge between the forward and midfield. During the attack, Nico can cooperate with Álvarez on the left, or he can insert Hanzko into the penalty area and attack behind Álvaro with Sørloth. The difference between Nico and Cholito is that he has the ability to pass in the midfield, which determines the defensive positioning of Atlético when switching from 4-4-2 to 5-3-2: Cholito is good at vertical impact, usually as a right-back; while Nico can position in the left midfield, keeping at the same height as Barrios.
Compared to the left shadow forward position in previous games, Nico was everywhere in this game. In addition to a large number of one-point competition and reverse penetration in the penalty area, when Koke takes the lead in pressing forward and Barrios also presses forward, he is even the team's deepest midfielder and de facto midfielder. Atlético de Madrid is lucky to have such a warrior.
In the derby, Atlético took the lead from the left. Lenglet - Hanzko - Nico - Álvarez form the left module. Hanzko occupies the entire left wing channel. Lenglet goes behind to attack and destroy. Nico serves as the second line fulcrum, and Álvarez waits for opportunities to reverse. Real Madrid means Mbappe breaks forward; Guler wanders along the right wing, but does not necessarily participate in the return defense; after Valverde/Carvajal/Militan recovers the ball, they almost always directly launch a long pass to find Mbappe.
This single choice gave Lenglet enough time to grab Mbappe and initiate the transition; while Guler's defensive absence made it easy for Atlético to form a one-on-one or even two-on-one situation on the left. Valverde was forced to fill in, and the rib space became Atlético's reward. It can be seen from 0025's two-on-three that Real Madrid's arrangement and execution details of this game are not perfect: three people surrounded Nico, and no one paid attention to the spider's back. Valverde was shaken away by Nico's fake fax buckle, and Álvarez went straight. The latter dribbled the ball down to create a corner kick.
Although the coach has been changed, the wing is played less and more, which is Real Madrid's defensive problem (Video 0118). It is also a sign of Real Madrid's participation in the game. 0208, Lenglet successfully intercepted Mbappe again, and Koke pulled over to support him. Guler could have grabbed Koke from behind and faced the Atlético goal, but failed halfway; Mbappe could have flanked Lenglet with Guler - Koke, but only stretched out his hand to direct. Koke was able to turn around and distribute the ball, which shows that Real Madrid's oppression was loose.
0242, Lenglet made a long pass to find Sørloth. Álvaro dragged down the offside line, allowing Sørloth to successfully counter-offside and kill Militao. The latter had obvious hip and calf muscle discomfort during the game and was replaced at halftime.
Although compared with the top centers, Sørloth is not fast enough to start grabbing points and has insufficient strength, but Sørloth nailed the Real Madrid central defender and repeatedly attacked the penalty area, which was the key to the establishment of the Atlético tactics in this game. The impact in the second minute of the opening showed the deterrent effect of Sørloth's containment and exposed the weakness of Real Madrid's central defender. Militao retired due to injury at halftime, and after Asensio came on, the Real Madrid defense became increasingly fragile, paving the way for Atlético to score three goals in the second half.
In the first three minutes, Atlético had already caused consecutive kills on the left; then, Atlético changed direction, tested the right, and performed the traditional trick of two-point encirclement and counterattack, aiming directly at Álvaro-Huisen's defense zone.
Alvaro Carreras is the key to Real Madrid's ball play this season. He is skilled and not slow, but lacks strength and has poor single defense; he needs cover from the midfielder or other central defenders, but behind him is Hoyson who is similar in type, also lacks strength and has poor defense. Atlético tried it for the first time at 0601, and Barrios broke the line between the two. The confrontation between Cholito and Álvaro was also the epitome of this game. If Cholito lived up to his family name with his hard work last season, this game was able to completely block Vinicius defensively and crush Álvaro offensively. It was a landmark battle for his personal growth.
Even Barrios smelled blood. In the 10th minute, Barrios dribbled the ball from the wing, changed speed and broke through Álvaro and then passed in. Sørloth headed the goal. In the 21st minute, when Cholito was defending on the right wing, it was Barrios who intercepted Álvaro in the frontcourt and cut inside Sørloth, almost scoring.
Barrios steals Alvaro
Atlético opened the scoring, which was the high pressure from the right. Cholito pushed hard against Bellingham, who smashed the ball too hard with his left foot. After it was intercepted, he fouled hastily and gave away a free kick. Lenorman then beat Joan Armene and scored with a header. On September 29 last year, it was a battle between Joan Armene and Lenormand that caused the latter to suffer a head injury. Since then, his confrontation performance and data have not been as good as before. Lenormand's way of breaking his inner demons not only drives away painful memories, but also repairs self-doubt.
However, when Atlético consumed high pressure and retreated to accumulate strength, Real Madrid immediately seized the opportunity. The first truly smooth organized attack in the first half resulted in a goal, which shows the quality of the Real Madrid players. In the round when the ball was lost, Lenglet, as the defender directly facing Mbappe, was naturally the target of public criticism. But in fact, he did a good job defensively in this game. He successfully grabbed Mbappe from behind many times and initiated transitions. Unfortunately, in this round, Atlético switched from high pressure in the opening to mid-low defense. The decline in physical fitness and the change in strategy jointly slowed down Lenglet's decision-making speed.
Lenormand is more responsible for conceding the ball. Under the overall forward pressing defense system of Atlético, the non-opposing central defender must be ready to move laterally to cover at any time. As a 5-3-2 inside central defender, the most important responsibility is to judge the timing of support. Therefore, when Lenglet advances, Lenorment should move laterally to take over Lenglet's position.
If Lenormand moves in, Lenglet focuses on disturbing Mbappe, Llorente fills in for Lenormand, and Cholito moves in accordingly, Atlético forms a tight cover chain. Even if Guler has a chance to pass the ball, Real Madrid only has a single forward Mbappe at the near end, and the far-end transfer will delay the opportunity. Moreover, the people behind Lenormand at the far end are Llorente and Cholito, who are extremely capable of chasing back. There will be no Real Madrid goal in this round.
The core task of Atlético's defense is to limit Vinicius and Mbappe. However, the two did not participate in the return defense, which hindered Real Madrid's running. After the weak side was defeated, Real Madrid did not continue its efforts. Instead, it forced its way into the strong side of Atlético. The opposing Cholito and Llorente were beasts born for attrition and confrontation, which played right into Atlético's hands. As a result, Vinicius succeeded in 0 dribbles and 0 shots in this game. In the 118 league games in which he played for more than 80 minutes, there were only 7 games without a dribble success, and these 7 games were all accumulated in recent years.
Vinicius and Mbappe collectively leaned left, which also led to Real Madrid's lack of inside attack. Bellingham started as the second-line power point and could have had an impact on Atlético, but he lacked support and was surrounded and suppressed. The center was occupied by Bellingham and Mbappe, and Guler could only be squeezed to the right and fell into isolation. Although Real Madrid's reversal goal was completed by Vinicius from the left, it was not the result of tactical advantage, but the result of Lenormand's mistake when Atlético's seven players were pressed forward and hung behind. And Guler only had the freedom to move in at this time, which allowed the goal to be established.
Compared with last season, Atlético’s average defensive line height has increased by six meters this season, second only to Barcelona among La Liga. In addition to Real Madrid's second goal, Atlético has been hit behind many times this season when pressing forward. The height of the defense line is not the purpose, but the result of the Atlético tactical focus moving forward after the central defender cannot support the defensive hardness. Since everyone will suffer, then press forward. Atlético summer window signings also serve this idea.
However, the central defender is fragile and it is difficult to keep a clean sheet. With this defense, the league and the Champions League championship are empty talk. Suffering from large spaces is a problem that 99% of central defenders will encounter. In this case, how to defend in the mid-to-high position to prevent the enemy from attacking? How to build a cover chain with complementary characteristics? Is it causing offside? Or introduce a high-level central defender in the winter window? This is a question that remains to be explored for Simeone and Atlético de Madrid.
Alonso failed to see clearly the cause of the goal. Instead, Real Madrid was encouraged by the appearance and continued to add people to the left. Even Álvaro also tried. How to distinguish a true weak side from a moment of luck, the gap between the two coaches is self-evident.
Salmon countercurrent, captain reborn
Although Real Madrid reversed the score, Los Colchoneros did not waste time in anger. It was Álvarez who stood up.
Heroes will not be detached from the people, but make the crowd believe that they still have power
In the next round after being reversed, Álvarez received the pass at the top of the arc, blended passion and calmness from 30 meters away, and suddenly made a long shot with amazing power and hit the goal post. He set an example for his teammates with his actions, and also declared to Real Madrid: Atlético will not give in.
In the next round of 3846, Cholito pounced on Álvaro and Courtois, Nico knocked down Carvajal in a close fight, and Álvarez twisted in the middle to force Guler. Every player and every press was full of determination.
4159, Álvaro was pressed by Llorente and tried to clear the ball out of the sideline. The ball turned and went out of the baseline. This corner kick was a footnote that the Met had a soul. Álvarez took a corner kick, and Langley used his arm to knock the ball into the door without counting. The central defender grabs the ball with his hands without his head. Lenglet needs to give Simeone an explanation, but Real Madrid will let Lenglet take half a step faster and easily pick up the opportunity at the back point. This is the best portrayal of Real Madrid's set-piece defense problem.
4644, Sørloth and Joan Armene took off to fight for the next point. Although they fell heavily to the ground, they immediately got up and rushed into the penalty area. Koke aimed at Hoysen-Á Sørloth in the lvaro zone sent a precise diagonal long pass. Hoyson took off first, but the landing point was taken by Sørloth. Atlético equalized the score before halftime.
Sørloth often shows negative body language this season. This is a sign of having too high expectations of himself but not being able to meet his capabilities. Now, the Norwegian salmon has finally jumped over the countercurrent to avenge its previous disgrace; Sørloth is just a piece of wood, it is also a good piece of wood for us to beat Real Madrid with. The comeback of Baena also makes people look forward to how Atlético will innovate based on the Villarreal 23/24 season killer combination.
In addition to sending wonderful assists, Koke completely controlled the ball in the backcourt, thus releasing Barrios to go forward, and this is the most impactful Barrios we have ever seen. The task given by Simeone to Koke and Barrios is very clear. They do not need to always think about retreat protection, but they must dare to press forward to the midfield and then lock the double midfielder of Real Madrid, and they have done it. Taking Gallagher's appearance as the starting point, Barrios first served as the right center midfielder, and then the left center midfielder. He can bring series and impact on both sides. In addition, Guler and Vinicius did not return to defense, and Barrios pulled the wing, making Atlético even create a three-on-two situation on the wing.
At the beginning of the season, Atlético usually starts with three defenders during the ball-playing phase. However, if Koke is on the field, the ball-playing phase will start with 4+1, in order to lure the opponent to grab and seek greater benefits in the transition. Once Real Madrid presses forward, the central defender is restrained by Sørloth, leaving the second-line space behind Valverde that Nico and Julián love. The existence of Koke as "+1" is another advantage during the ball release stage. Whether and when to turn around are important dimensions for Spain to evaluate Pivote midfielders, and Koke is a master in this field and the learning target for junior Barrios.
When Atlético plays the ball, the fullback opens up, and Koke holds the ball to attract Real Madrid's high pressure
Koke seems to have been reborn this season, both in body shape and personality. Dare to fight, dare to take the ball, catch the ball and turn around, decide how to change sides, and then bond the whole team. This is an ability that no other midfielder in Atlético has. The 33-year-old Koke, who has renewed his contract, can be called the best "signing" for Atlético's midfielder in the summer window based on his performance so far this season.
Koke, as a hub, can always seize the opportunity to attack the space behind Real Madrid
The name of the brave, the new born in the temple
Atlético completely suppressed the tactics in the first half, and the score of 2 to 2 was cheap for Real Madrid. After all, in those rolling and burning memories, the second half is often the moment for Real Madrid to adjust and recover. But the reality is that not only did they not improve, but they went into the abyss step by step.
Alonso is a coach who likes to intervene, which can even be said to be his shortcoming. But at the beginning of the second half, except for Asensio replacing Militao due to injury, there were no changes in Real Madrid. Facing the full pressure of Atlético, they had no solution, and the problems in the first half still existed.
This cannot be attributed to the fact that no one is available on the bench, and Alonso's ability to adjust is exposed. Guler, who was replaced first, was the only one who knew how to cooperate with Mbappe and Vinicius. Moreover, Real Madrid's reversal goal and 4605 opportunities were all completed when Guler entered the middle.
Immediately afterwards, he removed Bellingham. This is the only midfielder who can take the initiative to ask for the ball, drive the offense, and maintain order in the chaos. Ceballos continues to sit on the bench. As Real Madrid's only midfielder who can initiate an offensive attack, when Real Madrid has the ball but doesn't know how to attack and can only rely on Atlético's central defender to make mistakes and score, he is actually the person Real Madrid needs most.
The secret of building a team is to be able to place players in the right positions who can make teammates around them better and unleash their true selves; you are lucky to have one or two such players, and it would be even more incredible if you have more. In addition to Koke, Atlético de Madrid also has Julián·Álvarez.
Once again, Julián·Álvarez proved in front of Alonso that he is the superstar of Atlético de Madrid. In the opening battle between Atlético and Bayer Leverkusen, Simeone had already taught Alonso a lesson once when there was only one player left. Julián also single-handedly carried the team's banner. In the sixth round of La Liga, Little Spider scored a hat trick against Rayo Vallecano, which was the key for Atlético to get back on track. At the top of the derby, he used another top performance to bring Atlético back into the championship ranks.
Álvarez's first-line pressure blocked Real Madrid's passing route, forcing Courtois to find no point for the ball. On the offensive end, he brings the qualitative superiority of the Atlético frontcourt that has not been seen for more than ten years, and can create and destroy in one-on-two or even one-on-three. He can instantly identify his role when receiving passes from teammates, and adjust his movement and execution according to the distribution of teammates: he can play as a center, a winger, or even participate in the organization like a midfielder. This kind of player does not require special training or planning. As the best individual, he knows how to adapt to the environment and grow. The dribbling ability he showed in this game (1618) is proof that he continues to break through himself.
When Álvarez stood at the penalty spot in the North Stand, it was no longer just a shot, but more like completing a ritual: the temple that had been desecrated was personally purified by the brave man who had been wronged. It was the moment when pain turned to grace.
Later, when his free kick cut through the twilight and penetrated the goal, the whole stadium rose with the sound of "¡El que no salte madridista es!"
The more difficult it is, the more Álvarez’s personality shines; the more he suffers, the more he knows how to restrain himself. What fascinates people about him is this kind of "unknowing superstar": without pretense or exaggeration, Julián never claims his greatness, but spreads sacraments to the team and fans in every run and every touch of the ball. He warns everyone with his actions that glory does not belong to noisy words, but only belongs to those who continue to contribute in suffering and still use life as fire in the face of adversity.He is not the successor of Griezmann, he is Julián·Álvarez. Julián's responsibility in key battles is beyond doubt. The real challenge is the day-to-day. And the look in his eyes had already revealed the answer.
In the history of Madrid derby, it is not common to injure Real Madrid with set kicks. However, due to the lack of strength of the Real Madrid central defender and Joan Armene's negligence in this game, they suffered a lot from set pieces. Atlético intentionally created corner kicks and set kicks. As a result, three of the five goals Real Madrid conceded came from this. Even Koke’s assist to Sørloth’s goal was almost a set kick kick-off scene.
In the last half hour, Atlético shot three times, all of them on target, and scored two goals. The game even left time for Griezmann to break the goal drought, and Sørloth received a standing ovation. Of Real Madrid's three shots, two were long-range shots from outside the penalty area. The only opportunity worth mentioning was Rodrigo's cut-in shot from the left, which went straight to Oblak. In addition, Real Madrid failed to play an effective offense, and even failed to pose a threat in the weakest stage of Atlético today - low defense.
Baena came on as a substitute and assisted Griezmann in the only time he touched the ball. This is no small matter. As the core new aid of Xia Chuang, he practiced smoothly in the pre-season, but was absent due to injury at the beginning. This was one of the important reasons for Atlético's early struggles. And this through ball was his specialty during the Villarreal period. Griezmann's goal also marked a return to form. The scene of the old Torres passing Griezmann at the Allianz Stadium is still vivid in my mind. This season, he paid tribute to 08 Torres with a new hairstyle, which is both fashionable and symbolic of reincarnation. This is a new stage of life for Grizi.
Estamos vivos
Simeone's courage and Alonso's passivity are the contrast of human nature, and they are also the reason why Atlético won so thoroughly.
Different from past derby narratives, Simeone abandoned its excessive respect for Real Madrid, showed courage, and made an almost perfect deployment. The impact of Mbappe and Vinicius is certainly frightening, but in this game Atlético is not afraid of threats and presses the defense line forward. Based on the judgment and trust of the players' abilities, based on the design of the encirclement and cover chain, they let the full-backs go one-on-one, even if the risk is very high. The courage shown by the team in adversity, the group counterattack when falling behind, and the execution ability in the opponent's half are the long-lost "willing to be cut off and dare to pull down the emperor" temperament.
In contrast, Alonso is surprisingly passive, as if he is possessed by Ancelotti. He did not fix the problems that kept arising. La Liga started with six consecutive victories and Real Madrid was gradually establishing its own identity. However, from the first minute of the game, Real Madrid waited for Atlético to make mistakes, playing slowly and passively. They abandoned their own principles and failed to get results, which would only double the emptiness after the tragic defeat. Real Madrid lost not only a derby, but also his own identity.
For Real Madrid, Alonso has to return to the original plan. Although there are some passive adjustments, such as Carvajal's injury and retirement; after the Atlético demonstration, all opponents will focus on the fierce attack in the Hoyson-Álvaro range. Although the Club World Cup has been able to test some of the quality, Alonso's real test begins now. Alonso didn't come to Real Madrid for this kind of losing method. If so, he might as well keep Ancelotti. After Mourinho lost 5-0 to Guardiola that year, he also began to look for different ways to win; and Alonso's exploration and answers will determine whether he is worthy of being the Real Madrid coach.
The way Atlético de Madrid won the Derby greatly enhanced the confidence of Simeone. In the past few years, people's doubts about him have often focused on "leading and then retreating." That was a strategy based on his confidence in the defensive system and the quality of his players. However, Now Atlético de Madrid's defensive hardness is no longer enough to survive the remaining game time, so they can only accept the result of losing the ball and continue to press after taking the lead. The heart-stirring Derby victory not only completely cleared away the haze since March 4, 2025, but also set the tone for Cholisimo this season: Just play like this! Depending on the personnel and the opponent, there will be detailed changes and adjustments, but it must be this way of playing: Forward, forward, and forward again. Because this is the way to win.Simeone’s football is not about aesthetics, but about existence. For him, football is first of all "living": to resist, to persist, to endure. Give life meaning through action. Because of this, at the lowest point of Atlético's coaching career, he shouted "I am still alive" and "We are here". Because of this, the core of Cholisimo is strength and fighting spirit, and the confirmation of existence. Every tackle, every fight, declares "I'm here."
Only when people face absurdity and nothingness can they truly confirm their own existence. The same goes for Simeone and his Atlético de Madrid. Risks and pain are inevitable, but only taking risks can make people feel the real sense of being alive. Atlético, which took the lead and then retreated, was a product of its reliance on system and order; and when Simeone was willing to take risks and return the game to intensity and belief, he finally found himself.
Simeone, who dares to take risks, is the best version of him as a coach.
In most cases, it is players and coaches who realize that football is abandoning themselves. Therefore, anyone who can persist in the football circle for more than ten years is a solid existence. Because they understand that give life to every moment so as not to be abandoned by life. This is the breathing of Atlético de Madrid.
"Are you here?"
"Can you give yourself to this moment?"
"At this moment, are you willing to be with us?"
It is a flame that inspires fighting spirit, a transmission of mission, dedicating yourself to the present, inspiring those who feel the warmth of the flame to move forward together. After all, a true warrior not only pursues "alive", but also upholds the spirit of service, does not waste his own life and the lives of others, and does not miss every moment to fight.
Simeone and Atlético de Madrid have always relied on this kind of thing to survive.