Diego Simeone has confirmed that he will be staying at Atletico Madrid next season, despite the club’s disappointing 2021-22 campaign.
The 52-year-old has been in charge at the Spanish club since 2011, winning LaLiga twice during this period.
However, Atletico have been well off the pace domestically this term, leading to speculation that Simeone’s time in the dugout could be coming to an end. He has revealed that this will not be the case, though.
‘There’s nothing to say: I’m going to continue with Atletico Madrid,’ he told reporters after his side’s 1-1 draw against Sevilla on Sunday.
After winning the Spanish title last year, Atletico have rarely looked like contending for the league again this year, and they currently find themselves 17 points adrift of champions Real Madrid heading into the final game of the season.
They have also conceded 17 more goals than in their title-winning campaign, and lost nine league matches, compared to just four in 2020-21.
At one stage, it appeared that they could miss out on a top-four finish, which would have cost them a place in next season’s Champions League.
If they had failed to qualify for the competition, it has been reported that Simeone would have had to renegotiate the terms of his £34m-a-year contract – a figure which makes him the highest-paid manager in European football.
Simeone’s team have managed to turn their form around just in time, though, picking up seven points from their last three games.
They are now guaranteed Champions League football, and will finish in third place in LaLiga if they beat Real Sociedad on the final day.
Simeone’s contract at Atletico is due to expire in 2024.