If there is a player who embodies Cholismo well in Madrid, it has to be his son Giuliano Simeone. Revelation of the season for the Colchoneros, the very versatile Argentine offensive player is his father's relay on the field. But Julian Alvarez is not to be outdone, and gives the impression of having been playing in this team for years already. Which is remarkable when we know that, often, offensive players recruited by Atlético de Madrid take a few months before really adapting to Simeone's playing philosophy.
When the 2022 world champion left Manchester City to settle in Madrid last summer, reactions were quite mixed. Some were already predicting that he would acclimatize wonderfully, but others were much more skeptical about his choice to join a team often judged, rightly or wrongly, as very defensive. After only a few months of competition, it is clear that those who criticized his decision were very wrong. He has already scored 16 goals under the rojiblanca tunic, and beyond the statistical aspect, The Spider as he is nicknamed very quickly understood the playing philosophy of his coach, who offers him total freedom up front in exchange for effort non-negotiable defensive measures.
The trigger for the player, but also for Atlético
He quickly established himself as the offensive leader of this team, and here too, if some could fear that the Argentinian and Antoine Griezmann would risk stepping on each other, this is not the case. The presence of the player trained at River Plate in front has even freed the Frenchman a little, with opposing defenders who are no longer solely focused on the native of Mâcon and must also try to neutralize the Argentinian. The two men get along wonderfully and it is no coincidence that Atlético has won 15 of its last 16 matches in all competitions. We can say that Julian Alvarez brought that touch of quality and talent in the final meters which was so lacking in recent years, and which allows Atlético to position itself as a serious candidate for the title in La Liga but also in the Champions League .
“He has everything to write the history of the club”launched Diego Simeone after this match against Leverkusen. For the player, this bet to join Atlético de Madrid is a real success. Generally replacing Manchester City where he could not show the full extent of his talent, he found in Madrid the ideal context to shine and above all, to hope to win titles by being important. Already dubbed by the Wanda Metropolitano who adore this talented and differential player profile, and who does not skimp on defensive efforts, Julian Alvarez can look to the future with optimism…