Ever since Diego Simeone took over as manager of Atletico Madrid in 2011, the club have transformed into one of the most intimidating and difficult sides to beat in Europe. Despite their inferior resources to that of Real Madrid and Barcelona they have always competed well with the two big teams in the league.
And Atletico’s players have revealed that Simeone is a hard man to please and runs a strict regime. The manager measures the player’s weight every day to check if they have put on any extra kilos.
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He does this to ensure all his players are in tip-top condition and maintain the high standards of fitness that are expected by him. Atletico are known for a brand of football that is very demanding on the body.
The team are famous for their aggressive brand of football under Simeone and even teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona find it difficult to play them. Simeone demands a high level of commitment on the field as they play a high pressing game.
They are also a very physical side and their players are known to use their body strength and muscle to shrug off challenges and win the ball. This style of football obviously demands a lot of strain and energy which is why the coach makes his players go through rigorous training methods.
Atletico stars talk about Simeone’s expectation
In an interview on a Spanish television programme called El hormiguero Antoine Griezmann and Koke talked about El Cholo and his demands on the players.
“We are weighed every day, If anyone in the team has put on a kilo or more they have to declare it to the rest of the squad,” Koke said as his teammate tried containing his laughter. Koke put the coaches requirement in a very simple and humorous way saying, ”Simeone doesn't like fatties, and a kilo is very noticeable.”
The midfielder went on to describe how serious Simeone is about the issue stating that an extra kilo for the coach feels like a heavy backpack that weighs his players down. But Koke also talked about the consequences of not following his standards saying, “It's better if Simeone is not angry”.
Meanwhile, Griezmann talked about his habit of sporting funky hairstyles that change from time to time. Recently those trends have stopped though and when asked about it, he stated fatherhood as the reason.
The forward is going to become a parent soon and does not want to have a Mohican or any other sculpted hairstyle while taking the first picture with his son.
