The 5 best Atletico Madrid games under Diego Simeone

Atletico Madrid's Argentinian coach Diego Simeone looks on before the Spanish League football match between Leganes and Atletico Madrid at the Butarque stadium in Leganes, southwest of Madrid, on August 25, 2019. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP) (Photo credit should read BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP via Getty Images) /

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LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 30: Diego Simeone, coach of Club Atletico de Madrid reacts with Jose Mourinho, manager of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg match between Chelsea and Club Atletico de Madrid at Stamford Bridge on April 30, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /

3. Atletico Madrid 3-1 Chelsea – 2013-14 Champions League Semifinal, second leg

Atletico Madrid’s Champions League semifinal fixture against Chelsea in 2014 presented Diego Simeone with an opportunity to earn more recognition and praise from the rest of Europe.

In his first season in the Champions League with Atletico, Simeone led his side to a first-place finish in their group followed by wins against Milan and Barcelona. A win against Chelsea in the semifinals would give him yet another signature win against a European powerhouse club and catapult him into world class status as a manager.

After a 0-0 first leg, the tie shifted to London for the pivotal return leg and the biggest test of Simeone’s Champions League career.

The fixture was filled with storylines: Fernando Torres going up against his boyhood club; Thibaut Courtois facing his owned club; and a Chelsea midfield without the services of Frank Lampard due to a yellow card accumulation suspension.

For all of the build-up that the game garnered, it delivered like a blockbuster drama.

Fernando Torres opened up the scoring in the 38th minute with a goal from a shot that was deflected off midfielder Mario Suarez; the Spaniard — as expected — did not celebrate the goal out of respect for his former side. But moments later in the second half, Adrian scored off of a first-touch volley that trickled over from a Juanfran pass deep in the penalty box. Diego Costa later scored a thunderous penalty in the second half to put Los Rojiblancos up 2-1 and essentially end Chelsea’s hopes at a second Champions League final in three years.

Atletico wound up winning by a 3-1 aggregate score and moved into their first Champions League Final in 40 years.

The rest of Europe now had to take notice of what many within Spain had realized for some time: Diego Simeone is a world class manager.

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