It was taken with a pinch of salt when President Enrique Cerezo declared that Atletico Madrid were aiming for titles next season, while manager Diego Simeone is almost obligated to say as much. However the message from the Atletico dressing room has been clear: there is a belief that they can go all the way in one of the three major competitions next season.
Making eight signings this summer for a total of €149m not including variables, Atletico have spent big for a second summer in a row, and the scent of ambition is in the air at the Metropolitano.
None more expensive than Villarreal playmaker Alex Baena, who was presented on Monday, costing €42m. Cerezo thanked Baena for turning down other others in order to sign for Atletico.
“I’ve always wanted to come to Atleti: I held out as long as I could to come here. I’m here to show everything I’ve shown at Villarreal, and I’m here, above all, to win titles,” he told Diario AS.
“We are going to tattoo more than one,” Baena told his new boss, referencing the fact that he has a habit of tattooing every trophy he has won, so far the Europa League, Olympics and Euro 2024.
Meanwhile midfielder Pablo Barrios, in line to take a prominent role in midfield alongside new signings Johnny Cardoso and Baena, explained to AS that they were desperately trying to avoid a third-place finish.
“It’s not just because six [discounting Clement Lenglet and Juan Musso] new signings have arrived. We train every day, not to finish third. No one goes out onto the pitch with the ambition of finishing third; we go out with the ambition of being champions. This year is looking very good; many players have arrived, and I hope it can be so.”
With Atletico failing to take the any of the three competitions they were in going into March by the scruff of the neck, and in the case of La Liga, struggling to beat Getafe, Las Palmas and Espanyol, Los Rojiblancos have been accused of settling for third.
“I know a lot of people say that, but it’s not true. When we go out to play, we don’t have that mindset; we have the mindset of trying to win every game, giving our all, and then it may or may not go well.”
If the messaging was not clear, Cholo Simeone’s own son was not afraid of adding pressure for his team and his father. Giuliano Simeone was unequivocal that the entire squad were aiming for trophies.
“Everyone, without a doubt. I think we now know what Atletico Madrid is, what we’ve been doing throughout the process over the years, and now we have to win titles. But I think to achieve that, the essence of the club is to go day by day, to improve in every training session, to go game by game, and to always be able to get the three points.”
“The Champions League. Without a doubt. Absolutely. Without a doubt,” he told Marca, when asked which trophy he would most like to win.