I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

As for the team’s offensive issues, Simeone apparently had been contemplating this for some time. He began, "I’ve been thinking about this issue all along and have been making adjustments during this period."

"It’s difficult to change what we’ve been consistently doing in just two days. We need to understand our players, but we’re still moving in a direction that we believe can make us more balanced."

"Sometimes our direction is correct, but indeed we need more time. The changes won’t be significant from Thursday to Sunday."

The match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid is on Sunday. This arrangement is obviously made with ratings in mind. For La Liga, such an important match is a "celebration."

In the previous season, Atletico Madrid defeated Real Madrid once, but it was a regret for Simeone that Chen Zhong did not play in that match.

Reporters asked Simeone about his views on the victory in the last match, to which Simeone responded, "My view is that the opponent lost very important players like Chen Zhong and Kroos."

"Both are players worthy of admiration by all coaches, indispensable to any team."

"I believe they are looking for players who can calm them down and fully utilize all their attacking strengths."

"We have brought in new players, but whether they use Modric or Güler, they won’t change."

"Of course, now they have lost Kroos and Modric, only Chen Zhong remains. His form has not been good this season, but he cannot be underestimated."

Finally, reporters asked for his thoughts on Alonso and the fact that the preparation time for this match is less than that for Real Madrid.

"I won’t consider the issue of time."

"We accept the status quo."

"As for Alonso, the last time I remember, he was still playing for Real Madrid. Now he has become a head coach and has achieved quite impressive results."

"I think he’ll start Bellingham as the midfield organizer, with Chen either as a substitute or moving to the center forward position."

"Of course, no matter what, it’s just an ordinary Derby, winning or losing only means three points, which doesn’t hold much significance."

During the pre-match press conference, Simeone appeared rather calm, but only Atletico Madrid’s players know how brutal this Argentine coach is during training.

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The city derby between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid has become increasingly intense over the years.

Before Simeone arrived, due to continuous losses, this derby had greatly diminished the fans’ interest, as Atletico Madrid could never beat Real Madrid anyway.

But after Simeone took charge, everything changed.

During the years when Real Madrid was centered around Chen Zhong, the two teams had many stories, such as when Atletico Madrid went to Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to play Real Madrid, Real Madrid’s fans made a grand gesture by hanging a banner: "For an exciting derby match, we need real opponents."

At that time, Atletico Madrid had not beaten their wealthier city rivals in the derby for 13 consecutive years, totaling 25 matches.

They were mocking Atletico Madrid, claiming they did not deserve to be their opponents.

That day, Atletico Madrid initially led 1-0, but their goalkeeper Courtois quickly received a red card and was sent off. In the end, Real Madrid won the match 4-1.

Later, Atletico Madrid also attracted capital "affection", and as balance on the field became equal, the competition off the field grew increasingly fierce and filled with controversies.

Real Madrid’s fans, sometimes including players, coaches, and executives, transformed their former sense of superiority into a habit, always wanting Atletico Madrid to remain inferior in their eyes.

On the other hand, some extreme fans of Atletico Madrid committed dishonorable and even illegal activities, which hit the newfound confidence of Atletico Madrid hard.

In 1929, the two teams met for the first time in La Liga, and Real Madrid won, with both goals scored by former Atletico Madrid forward Triana.

However, the concept of the derby representing a confrontation between city nobility and the poor gradually formed later.

By the mid-20th century, when President Bernabeu formed a team with superstars like Di Stefano and Puskás, Real Madrid became the dominant force of Spain’s capital, winning the European Champions Cup five consecutive times from 1956 to 1960.

As the areas surrounding Santiago Bernabeu Stadium became increasingly wealthy, Real Madrid’s domestic status grew more stable, and the stadium’s VIP boxes became places where leaders from Spain’s business, social circles, and political arena gathered.

Meanwhile, most Atletico Madrid fans came from working-class areas, such as those surrounding the Old Calderon Stadium, just south of Madrid’s city center.

During the 1980s and 1990s, under President Gil, who was a self-made businessman later turned politician and jailed, Atletico Madrid’s atmosphere was especially fervent.

Despite the significant economic and player level differences between the two clubs at that time, Madrid’s fans were almost evenly divided into two factions, supporting Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Thus, locally, the importance of the Derby de Madrid even surpassed the national derby between Real Madrid and Barcelona.