On February 14, 2019, Simeone became the highest paid football manager in the world. That day, that year, he renewed his relationship with Atlético, a bench he reached in December 2011, two more years, from 2020, which then ended in 2022. His salary, 24 million euros. Three years later, with the link between the Argentine and the rojiblanco club extended again, now until 2024, he is still the coach who earns the most in the world: 3.33 million gross monthly, ahead of Guardiola’s 1.89 and Klopp’s 1.49, according to what France Football pointed out a few weeks ago. Some emoluments according to what it generates. With Cholo, Atleti has not only won again, eight titles, the coach who most in red and white history, is that with Cholo the saw teeth are over, going up and down the table, season by season, playing the Intertoto, watch the Champions League on TV. With Cholo, since he arrived more than ten years ago, Atlético has always been a Champions team, it has been among the top four. A stability that cements the club economically and that this season has not yet been achieved. If it is not achieved, in addition, Simeone will no longer be the highest paid coach in the world.
Years ago football contracts became labyrinths full of edges and clauses. In the case of Simeone, there could be one that lowers his salary based on the original objective: if the team does not get into the Champions League, it will decrease. That condition, the non-classification, will not break the contract. There is no clause that contemplates that. By contract, Simeone will continue to be coach of Atlético: finishing fifth does not break the bond.
The end of the season, the four remaining games, goes further. It is a final for a figure close to one hundred million, what a team like Atleti receives for playing in the highest European competition. Not only the coach’s salary would be affected, but also that of several players. The project would no longer be the same. The Champions League is a showcase, the place where everyone wants to be. An objective that goes further: without Champions, the club will be forced to sell a star, if not, the accounts do not add up. After the defeat against Levante, the bottom of the team this season in which a champion team was reinforced with De Paul, Griezmann and Cunha and things have not worked out, it has crashed, the LaLiga term of 14 brought six victories followed, quiet. But the elimination against City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League has emotionally affected the Cholo team, unable to score a goal in five of the last six games. There are four games left, and there are four finals. What is played goes beyond salaries.