Children’s Day was no exception in Atlético’s good run at the Metropolitan. The team has reversed the situation and, if playing at home in autumn was almost a penance, in 2023 it has turned the stadium into a fort. Against Osasuna, the rojiblancos celebrated the eighth consecutive victory at home, before more than 57,000 spectators, many of them children. Before the Navarrese, Cádiz, Mallorca, Almería, Betis, Valencia, Sevilla and Athletic fell. Only the game against Real Sociedad on Sunday (7:00 p.m.) remains ahead.
Simeone gave value to the fact that the players responded to the presence of so many children and also to the change of atmosphere in the Metropolitan: “We have to be thankful that from December to here people were back with the team in the place where it makes us stronger. When we have a fortress in our house, the team grows”. The future, already in the next season, depends on the performance in the stadium being remarkable. To help this, as AS has reported, the venue’s capacity will grow to exceed 70,000 spectators.
A conviction in the League and Champions
Before the World Cup, the balance at home was much poorer. Atleti played six games and only won two, drew another two and lost the same. Team numbers fighting for permanence. In the Champions League, they beat Porto with a goal in the 101st minute and gave up draws against Leverkusen and Bruges that condemned them to elimination. And not only the results, but a complicated atmosphere, animation strikes, divisions among the fans and cross whistles… In recent months, fortunately for Cholo and his team, the good results have returned and the union has returned to the Metropolitan.