Diego Simeone, head coach of Atlético de Madrid, expressed on Friday his "absolute gratitude" to the rojiblanco club as he approaches a remarkable milestone: 700 matches in charge. This achievement will coincide with Saturday's "very important" match against Alavés, marking the beginning of a "series" of eight challenging fixtures. Simeone emphasized the importance of "humility to work as a team" in each game, regardless of the circumstances. 

From his debut on January 7, 2012, with a 0-0 draw against Málaga, to now, when his team hosts the Vitoria-based side riding a four-match winning streak, Simeone has led Atlético to eight trophies (two La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey, one Spanish Super Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, and two Europa League titles). Over these years, he has achieved 412 wins, 156 draws, and 131 losses, with 1,166 goals scored and 576 conceded, and 326 clean sheets.

"First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who has worked alongside me in the coaching staff, especially those who are no longer with us; all the players who made it possible for a coach to stay at a club for so long; Miguel Ángel (Gil Marín, the club’s CEO) and Enrique (Cerezo, club president) for consistently maintaining the same path and working together to follow it; and our fans for the respect they have always shown me," Simeone stated.

"I am absolutely grateful to Atlético de Madrid and feel immense joy for having experienced these 700 matches that we will soon celebrate," the coach added. He declined to speculate about the future: "Honestly, I haven’t thought about anything beyond this. After hearing the question, my mind immediately turned to Alavés and figuring out how to win this crucial match for us. Very crucial."

Atlético enters the match on a four-game winning streak. "We’ve come through a demanding series of matches recently, and now we face another stretch of eight games that will be tough. We’re hosting Alavés, a team we know well. They typically play very direct football, with a lot of speed and focus on second balls. They have midfielders who handle the ball well and some players we’re familiar with because they’ve been part of Atlético. It’s possible they’ll feature," Simeone said during a press conference following Friday’s training session in Majadahonda.

"We need to take the game to areas where we believe we can do damage. Maintaining a high tempo will be essential, and that’s what we’ll aim for," he continued. Simeone also underscored the importance of "having the humility to work as a team wherever it’s needed during the game because every match has different moments." He noted that the "team block" is "working well" and added, "We hope to keep moving forward along this path."

"I focus on what I’ve observed over nearly 13 years. When the team manages to deliver what it does best—competing with good intensity and playing as a cohesive unit, whether in an attacking or defensive game—it competes well. That’s been the consistent hallmark of this journey to 700 matches. This success is undoubtedly due to the understanding and dedication of the players to make it happen and to keep it going," he reflected.

Simeone also praised the progress of Pablo Barrios, who has recently become a senior international with Spain. 

"He’s on a very promising path, fulfilling the expectations we had when we saw him train with us as a youngster. He has taken his opportunities to grow. He possesses many positive qualities that benefit the team, and, of course, areas to improve. He’s at a stage of development and mental expansion to create even better things. I have no doubt that when he starts scoring goals, he’ll become even more decisive than he is now," Simeone concluded.