“Unity is our great strength and we cannot lose it”
Dear atlético,
I talk to you and the thousands of Atlético fans who, like me, feel deeply disappointed by our elimination from Europe. I don't intend to justify our poor performance in this edition of the Champions League, we are all aware that it has been a failure and we must have the humility to admit it. Our first objective was to overcome the group stage and unfortunately, although deservedly so, we have not achieved it. All of us who are part of the club, managers, technicians and players, are responsible for it and we assume it. It is a time for self-criticism, to analyze the mistakes made and correct them as quickly as possible.
The club has grown a lot in the last decade, until the point of living the best moment of our almost 120 years of history. Beyond the inauguration of an exemplary stadium and the forthcoming start of the 'Ciudad del Deporte' that will take place around our stadium, the team has played consecutively in the last ten editions of the UEFA Champions League, something that only 8 clubs have achieved , and only in the 2017-18 season had we failed to qualify for the round of 16, the season in which we finished UEFA Europa League champions. During this period we have also reached two Champions League finals, a semi-final and three quarter-finals, in addition to winning eight titles, including two Leagues.
For this reason, although the disappointment of this edition, we cannot lose sight of the general perspective. This group, with Diego Simeone as coach, has made us enjoy the milestones reached during this successful decade, and deserves our respect and confidence to achieve the important challenges that we still have this season. The demand must continue to be maximum, but we must understand that this atypical season, starting with a World Cup, with what this entails for most of the players, is logically altering the performance of a squad of this level.
Throughout this time we have experienced difficult situations and the group has always overcome them. The season is far from over. Right now we are third in LaLiga and we will soon begin our participation in the Copa del Rey, in which we haven't played a final for a long time, and which should be an important objective of the season. There is no other formula than to be all together to achieve the club's objectives. Every time we have done it, we have achieved it. Historically we have shown that we are in good times and bad, and if now it's time to suffer, let's do it, but together. This club and this team have shown the ability to always get up faster and faster after each fall and this time should be no different.
We are part of a society in which things happen very quickly, in which people get tired easily of everything, with great tension often caused by reasons unrelated to football: crisis, inflation, wars... We cannot allow that no external factor disunite us instead of strengthening our ties. Unity is our great strength and we cannot lose it.
This club, throughout its history, has been characterized by his values: passion, effort, humility, solidarity and unconditional support, and that is what makes us strong.
Thank you for your support and... aúpa Atleti!
Miguel Angel Gil
CEO of Club Atlético de Madrid
