Perhaps that's because of Diego Simeone and the way he's always done things. Perhaps many see him and still instantly recall the 1998 World Cup, when Simeone, then Argentina's captain, was on the receiving end of a timid, retaliatory flick from David Beckham during a group game and tumbled to the ground, gesticulating furiously to the referee as he fell backwards. Beckham was promptly sent off, his team lost in a penalty shootout and, shining a light on the curious quirks of English fans, he was subsequently painted as the villain -- not the calculating, cunning South American.
Years later, Simeone owned up to his role in the infamous incident.
"You take advantage of all the opportunities you find in your life. If you don't take advantage of a chance that comes your way you are lost," he said in 2002
In
many ways, that isolated moment is an unfair representation of what
Simeone was like as a player. He was uncompromising and aggressive. He
was intimidating and threatening, and gleefully relished playing the bad
guy role. Sometimes he overstepped the mark, like when he viciously
stamped on Athletic Bilbao's Julen Guerrero in 1996. The assault
happened in front of the Bilbao crowd at San Mames and was a mere
example of Simeone marking his territory. Riling the opposition was
something he revelled in. Disrupting a natural flow was second nature.
Still,
there was more to his game. A tireless workhorse, he was a
rabble-rouser and terrier and knew his limitations. An energetic central
midfielder, his job was to get the ball to the creative, imaginative
players around him -- though he could contribute in front of goal too.
He was all or nothing and such an attitude made him a fan favourite
wherever he went.
In Madrid, he was the heartbeat of the Atletico side that won the Spanish championship and domestic cup 20 years ago. He tasted more success in Italy with Inter before winning a Scudetto at Lazio alongside a galaxy of his compatriots.
At his peak, he spent five years in Spain and six in Italy with consistent spells at four different clubs. Management, though, had proved a much different experience for him until his appointment at Atleti.
In Madrid, he was the heartbeat of the Atletico side that won the Spanish championship and domestic cup 20 years ago. He tasted more success in Italy with Inter before winning a Scudetto at Lazio alongside a galaxy of his compatriots.
At his peak, he spent five years in Spain and six in Italy with consistent spells at four different clubs. Management, though, had proved a much different experience for him until his appointment at Atleti.
In a frenzied
style, he bounced from one job to another. He had retired at Argentine
side Racing in 2006 but stayed on as coach for a few months. Then it was
off to Estudiantes, bringing them a league title by the end of the year
(their first in decades). In 2007, he was at River Plate and there was
some more silverware before a switch to San Lorenzo. He moved to Italy
in January 2011 where he helped Catania avoid relegation. Then, a return
to Racing, until Atletico came calling.
Ever since, it's been calm and composed and tranquil. Simeone is settled and content and has overseen something remarkable in a side that had hinted at great things before self-sabotage always seemed to get in the way.
Cast in the shadow of a relentlessly successful city rival, Atleti have always been the runts of the litter, feeding off the scraps left over from Spanish soccer's all-encompassing duopoly of Real Madrid and Barcelona. There have been rare exceptions through the years (Deportivo la Coruna, Valencia) but not much in the way of a transformative, sustainable threat to the eternal top two.
But Simeone is different. While others sought inspiration from Barcelona and Real, he has made a point of being nothing but unique. He's embraced the runt-of-the-litter persona. Written off, put down, ignored. He's used it to motivate, and to drive a forceful identity that has been carefully cultivated in his four years at the club. And he's managed to do so under extremely irritating circumstances.
Ever since, it's been calm and composed and tranquil. Simeone is settled and content and has overseen something remarkable in a side that had hinted at great things before self-sabotage always seemed to get in the way.
Cast in the shadow of a relentlessly successful city rival, Atleti have always been the runts of the litter, feeding off the scraps left over from Spanish soccer's all-encompassing duopoly of Real Madrid and Barcelona. There have been rare exceptions through the years (Deportivo la Coruna, Valencia) but not much in the way of a transformative, sustainable threat to the eternal top two.
But Simeone is different. While others sought inspiration from Barcelona and Real, he has made a point of being nothing but unique. He's embraced the runt-of-the-litter persona. Written off, put down, ignored. He's used it to motivate, and to drive a forceful identity that has been carefully cultivated in his four years at the club. And he's managed to do so under extremely irritating circumstances.
Last summer, Atleti sold three of their most high-profile players - Arda Turan, Jackson Martinez and Mario Mandzukic.
Twelve months before that, it was star striker Diego Costa and fullback Felipe Luis who departed. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois returned to Chelsea despite having spent three glorious seasons on loan at the Vicente Calderon.
Rewind a further 12 months and it was Atleti's then-prolific attacker Falcao who was snapped up by Monaco for a little under $50 million.
Player turnover has been a problematic pattern for quite a while. When Simeone first arrived back in 2011, the club were bobbing aimlessly in mid-table. But it was relatively understandable. They had just sold Sergio Aguero, David de Gea and Diego Forlan. After winning the UEFA Europa League under Quique Sanchez Flores in May 2010, five of the team's starting lineup weren't even at the club 18 months later.
But Simeone has fine-tuned a team mentality that surges beyond any individual contributions. Mandzukic came for a season and was then sold to Juventus. David Villa lasted for one campaign too, before heading to MLS. Jackson Martinez stayed for just five months before a lucrative offer from China proved too hard to resist for Atleti.
Twelve months before that, it was star striker Diego Costa and fullback Felipe Luis who departed. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois returned to Chelsea despite having spent three glorious seasons on loan at the Vicente Calderon.
Rewind a further 12 months and it was Atleti's then-prolific attacker Falcao who was snapped up by Monaco for a little under $50 million.
Player turnover has been a problematic pattern for quite a while. When Simeone first arrived back in 2011, the club were bobbing aimlessly in mid-table. But it was relatively understandable. They had just sold Sergio Aguero, David de Gea and Diego Forlan. After winning the UEFA Europa League under Quique Sanchez Flores in May 2010, five of the team's starting lineup weren't even at the club 18 months later.
But Simeone has fine-tuned a team mentality that surges beyond any individual contributions. Mandzukic came for a season and was then sold to Juventus. David Villa lasted for one campaign too, before heading to MLS. Jackson Martinez stayed for just five months before a lucrative offer from China proved too hard to resist for Atleti.
Simeone cares little for how long a player plays for the team, as long as they respect his ideals and approach.
The club has thought nothing of bringing back former players too. Fernando Torres is arguably playing his best soccer since that wonderful debut season with Liverpool.
And making up 50 per cent of Atleti's impenetrable defence on Wednesday night against Bayern Munich were two Premier League "flops" -- Luis at left back, who Atleti had only sold to Chelsea in 2014, and former Manchester City player Stefan Savic.
The strength of the defence is an intriguing development in Simeone's maturity as a manager. It's recognized as Atleti's main strand of DNA but as a raw, inexperienced coach back in Argentina, Simeone looked for a ferocious attacking element -- the same do-or-die approach he had as a player. But it proved costly during a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal in 2008 when his River Plate lost a two-goal lead to San Lorenzo and were eliminated. It proved a defining moment.
"At first I always wanted to attack," he said later. "With time, I learned the best ways to think how to win is in your defensive balance.”
Certainly, Simeone's old ruthlessness creeps in to the Atleti mindset at times, but can you blame them? With the odds so heavily stacked in Barcelona and Real's favour, the dark arts come in handy on occasion - like Simeone's recent three-game ban for encouraging a ball-boy to throw a ball on the pitch to disrupt a Malaga counter-attack.
If Atleti sometimes border on the cynical, they still have a pretty long way to go before catching up with the likes of Pepe and Sergio Ramos at Real, or Sergio Busquets at Barcelona. And as much as Simeone cuts an animated figure on the touchline, he's never yet stuck his finger in the eye of an opposing coach.
Potential league champions for the second time in three years, potential Champions League finalists for the second time in three years, a new stadium on the way in 2017 and some impressive investment from one of China's richest men, Atleti are building some serious momentum.
"If you don't take advantage of a chance that comes your way you are lost," Simeone said 14 years ago.
He's a man of his word.
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