New Delhi, (Asian independent) LaLiga EA Sports is back this weekend, with Atletico de Madrid hosting RCD Mallorca at the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano on Saturday night. This is an extra special game for Los Bermellones’ coach Javier Aguirre, who will face the team he coached from 2006 to 2009.
One of the most experienced coaches in LaLiga EA Sports, Aguirre has taken charge of numerous clubs across the world. The Mexican tactician moved to Spain for the first time back in 1986, when he joined CA Osasuna as a player. He hung up his boots in 1993 and took his first coaching steps a couple of years later at Atlante Futbol Club in his native country. He returned to Europe to coach his former club CA Osasuna in 2002 and, since then, he has managed as many as six Spanish teams including Atlético de Madrid, Real Zaragoza, RCD Espanyol and CD Leganes.
The man who helped Atleti turn the page
Aguirre moved to CA Osasuna after leading the Mexican national team to the 2001 Copa America final and the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. His work at the Navarre side was equally impressive, as Los Rojillos reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in his first season, went all the way to the Copa del Rey final in 2004/05 and secured Champions League qualification after finishing fourth in the LaLiga EA Sports table in 2005/06.
Unsurprisingly, Aguirre’s work at CA Osasuna caught the eye of the Atletico de Madrid directors. Having been relegated to LaLiga HYPERMOTION in 1999/2000, Los Rojiblancos had returned to the top flight for the 2002/03 campaign and were rebuilding the team in their bid to bring back the glory days at the Estadio Vicente Calderón. After finishing 11th, seventh, 10th and 10th, respectively, in their first four seasons after securing promotion, Aguirre took charge in 2006/07 and Los Rojiblancos secured seventh spot in his first campaign at the club. The following season, Atleti took a top-four spot to clinch Champions League qualification for the first time in 12 years.
As the man who returned Los Colchoneros to Europe’s leading club competition, and given his charisma in press conferences, Aguirre became a fan favourite. However, this was neither the first nor the last time he would become an icon while coaching a club, as the 64-year-old was previously adored at CA Osasuna and later managed to steal the hearts of CD Leganes and RCD Mallorca fans.
Welcomed with an ovation
Nicknamed El Vasco because of his father’s Basque origins, Aguirre has been hailed for his direct personality and the way he connects with both the players and the fans. His tenure at Los Rojiblancos may have ultimately ended following a dismissal, but Atleti fans showed last season that Aguirre holds a unique place in their hearts. The Mexican visited the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano for last season’s Atlético de Madrid vs RCD Mallorca fixture on April 26th 2023, which marked the 120th anniversary of the capital city club’s foundation. The emotional moment of Aguirre stepping onto the pitch before kick-off was captured by TV cameras, with the Mexican tactician receiving a heartfelt ovation by the home crowd.
“It was a reunion, from the owner to the kitmen to the fans themselves,” Aguirre said after the game. “Atlético de Madrid is a club that is a feeling and you carry it with you. I was there for three seasons and I remember it with great affection.”
In his 131 games in charge, Aguirre recorded 61 victories, 31 draws and 39 defeats across all competitions. “I have beautiful memories,” Aguirre recalled in an interview for Relevo last season. “We qualified for the Champions League, for the UEFA Cup… I remember those magical nights at the Estadio Vicente Calderón. The crowd we had was amazing. The fans that Atlético de Madrid have are incredible. The team had come from hard times. They had been in the second division not so long ago. They had a big debt… But there were good plans. Building the new stadium, building a sporting complex… They were a sleeping giant. It was a difficult period, a period of transition.”
Following Aguirre’s departure in 2009, Quique Sánchez Flores led Atleti to UEFA Europa League success in 2009/10. Sánchez Flores was then briefly replaced by Gregorio Manzano before Diego Simeone took over in 2011. And, the rest is history.
Even though over a decade has passed, the connection between the Atletico de Madrid fans and Aguirre remains strong. On Saturday night, the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano is expected to receive him with another ovation, an expression of gratitude to the man who kickstarted Atletico de Madrid’s return to the pinnacle of Spanish and European football.
