Only a victory will do in Portugal otherwise Atletico will exit inside the organization level for best the second time below Simeone, who has issues locally as nicely. After 15 games, Atletico are fourth, 10 points behind Real Madrid.
Simeone has heard it earlier than, the questions about his techniques and relevance, and whether or not he is still a force for properly at Atletico Madrid, who best six months in the past had been celebrating winning the Spanish name in a automobile park at Real Valladolid.
More broadly, Simeone is rightly respected for remodeling an additionally-ran team in La Liga into a longtime member of Europe's aristocracy.
Later this month, it will likely be exactly a decade considering that Simeone took over with Atletico tenth within the table and having no longer finished in the top 3 for 16 years, except for after they once completed first, in the 2d division.
In 9 complete seasons underneath Simeone, they have by no means been out of La Liga's top three.
They have damaged the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly to win La Liga twice and come inside a whisker of Champions League triumphs, denied best by way of Sergio Ramos inside the 93rd minute and Cristiano Ronaldo in a penalty shoot-out.
It stays especially probable the years straight away after Simeone in the end leaves Atletico will be worse than people who went earlier than.
When Simeone called on Saturday for "rise up" towards Porto, it became a familiar reflex for a educate who in a crisis looks to the psychological elements, demanding greater work, concentration, awareness, combat and togetherness.
It is why the failures this season were specifically jarring for an Atletico team so renowned for his or her discipline and defence.
Atletico unexpectedly seem like a side with a tender-centre, prone at set-pieces and fragile in key moments.
