Diego Simeone praises Alvaro Arbeloa before Madrid derby – ‘He has that something extra’

Madrid – As the Spanish capital braces for another white-hot chapter of the Madrid derby, Atlético Madrid boss Diego Simeone has taken the rare step of publicly saluting the man in the opposite technical area, Real Madrid debutant coach Álvaro Arbeloa.

Sunday night’s meeting at the Bernabéu will be Arbeloa’s first derby as a senior manager and Simeone’s 50th, but the veteran Argentine insists the rookie Merengue tactician has already shown he belongs among the elite.

“He’s doing a great job; the results speak for themselves,” Simeone told Diario AS. “There’s a real connection with the players, and it shows. Beyond the technical ability we coaches have, there’s something extra that’s evident. You can see that there’s a shared understanding of what the coach wants and needs.”

The 44-year-old Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso in the Madrid dugout in January and has steered the club into contention on every front, most notably impressing in Champions League triumphs over Benfica and Manchester City. Simeone believes the former Spain full-back has kept the squad’s identity intact while adding his own imprint.

“They always follow the same pattern because the players are the same,” Simeone observed. “They’re working well as a team… and that’s the pattern they’ll continue to follow to keep Real Madrid’s aspiration to win everything, as always.”

While Real Madrid enter the weekend four points behind leaders Barcelona and with the title race still alive, Atlético’s domestic objectives are largely settled. Los Colchoneros are out of the LaLiga title fight yet virtually assured of another top-four finish, raising the possibility of rotation after a draining Champions League trip to Tottenham Hotspur. Simeone confirmed he has yet to settle on his XI.

“I don’t know yet. We’re still trying to decide where to position ourselves, whether to continue with the rotations we’ve used when we’ve had Champions League matches followed by league games. Everyone is incredibly eager to play, and they’re making my decision difficult.”

One player who left north London in buoyant mood was Julián Álvarez, whose superb early strike set Atlético on course for victory. Simeone challenged the Argentine forward to maintain that standard.

“He’s a person, and like everyone, we have our ups and downs. We’ve seen what we saw before in the last few matches. That’s why, when his level dropped, we were demanding to see this level again. We know that the road ahead is never straight, and there are always twists and turns.”

Injury issues further complicate Simeone’s selection. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak, defenders Marc Pubill and Rodrigo Mendoza, as well as midfielder Pablo Barrios, will all miss the trip across town, leaving the Argentine to juggle resources against a Madrid side desperate to keep pace with Barcelona.

Whatever the final score, the night will mark a passing of the derby torch: the seasoned master acknowledging the apprentice who, in his eyes, already carries that intangible edge.