Miguel Ángel Gil MarínCEO of Atlético de Madrid, has made an assessment on last season and comments on its impressions about the season that will start in just two weeks. On the last campaign, the top of the mattress club highlighted the penalty of the double touch of Julián Álvarez. Ensures that «The match against Madrid, with a clear arbitration error, marked mood“Of the team” for the rest of the season. “
The rojiblanco CEO values the growth experienced during last season in the different areas of the club, a continuity of the line that has been marked for years: «At the social level, at the social level, at the social level, at the social level, The club beat historical records again In subscribers, partners, followers in social networks and stadium attendees. AND At the patrimonial level, the Club consolidated the agreements linked to financingconstruction and agreements with operators of the city of leisure and sport that we are developing next to the stadium ».
In the sports plot, for Miguel Ángel Gil there is a moment that marked the future of the season. «The team competed very well until the week of the Champions match against Real Madrid. The previous match against Getafe already gave signs of what it represented for the locker room. He ended up having his head in another game since the beginning of the second part, ”he says. And it is clear that «the match against Madrid, with A clear arbitration error marked the mood of players, technicians and fans for the rest of the season».
Some voices have questioned the proceeding of the club in this case, but Miguel Ángel Gil Marín wants to make it very clear what was the objective of those responsible for the entity and that everything that was in the club was made in the hands of a situation like that: «Since that day, my obsession was to try to lift my mood of players, coach, co -workers, president and mine, To avoid even greater damage to affect us the rest of competitions in which we were still competing. I perfectly understand the disappointment and enormous anger of all athletics. I felt exactly the same. It was hard for me to fall asleep because of the rage I feltbut my position in the club forced me to weigh any decision. The game would never have been repeated, the result could never be changed. Football is a sports and mistake sport. And only those who make decisions are succeeded and mistaken: players, technicians, referees and leaders ».
The club contacted UEFA immediately, requesting an explanation to what had happened, which ended up deriving in a request for clarification of the European football body to the IFAB about the play: «I am aware that urging to clarify the interpretation of the norm, as ifab did at the instances of UEFA does not compensate the damage causedbut I am not in favor of prosecuting mistakes, I believe more in working to improve our sector from within. We have just seen in the female Eurocup a play in which it was decided to repeat the penalty. Does athletics relieve us? Of course not, but a better football is built ».
Finishing the balance of last season, Miguel Ángel Gil highlights the importance of our participation in the Club World Cup: «For me, it was a pride to see Atleti representing our football as one of the only two Spanish clubs In the World Cup. Because I knew that to participate, you had to get previously, for four years, add more points in European competitions than Barça, and this was very difficult. Although the outcome of the tournament for our first team was a disappointment and this is reflected in our CEO: «Subsequently, we felt frustration again after winning two games of the three of the group stage. We had those points to pass to eighths, but he golaverage Against the PSG we did too damage. In any case, it was a beautiful experience that contributed to continue to grow the image of Atleti in the world and the love of many American fans.
A template “To dream big”
During the last weeks the rhythm in the offices of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano has been frantic. The transfer market has marked a large part of the agenda of the rojiblancos responsible, giving continuity to a process initiated last campaign: «A year ago we made the decision to renew and rejuvenate the first team. We had been with a very good group of players for a few years, But it was time to make changes. Many have left the club in these last two seasons and all of them, from the heart, I want to thank them for their effort and commitment to the club ».
Although the process of renovation of the squad is taking place these last two seasons, for eight seasons the club has faced a double investment in players and facilities, first in the stadium and later in the city of the sport, which have forced an effort to maintain the competitiveness of the team: «Making investments in players while investing in the new stadium was complicated. The financing of one stadium is not amortized from one year to another, it requires several years to make it possible. For this we carry out a capital increase in 2021 of more than 120 million euros. To continue competing as a team and continue paying the stadium, we made another capital expansion of 70 million last summer, and thanks to this the players who arrived last season could come: Julián Alvarez, Sorloth, Le Normand and Gallagher. And to continue undertaking works from the City of Sports and face the purchases of players this summer, we will have to make another new capital expansion of at least 60 million more ».
The rojiblanco CEO is very excited about the sports project that is being designed and assumes the risk that has been taken to make it come true: “We firmly believe that We are doing a template to dream big. We are ambitious, we take risks, we have incorporated and incorporate new partners willing to invest capital, which is necessary to continue growing in sports, social and infrastructure. ”
Investments that are not limited to these last two campaigns, as Miguel Ángel Gil recalls: «In the last 8 seasons we have made a net investment of 890 million between international players, facilities and franchises. This amount is the difference between club income from players and Vicente Calderón stadium and investments in players and infrastructure of the club, including the headquarters of Alcalá de Henares. The Mexico franchise has meant an investment of just over 50 million euros, 90% is owned by Atlético de Madrid and its current value is around 150 million euros. Mexico is a huge country, with a very large social potential and its football is in a clear growing trend, and with it, the value of a club that belongs to Atlético ».
Next season will also be key to the great club project: the Sports City. Our CEO leads this ambitious plan that will change many aspects of the club, the neighborhood and the city: «When we sign the agreement to develop the city of sport, we assume several commitments: with the City Council and the Community of Madrid, with the neighbors, with the fans of Atlético de Madrid, but, above all, with the club and its future. This project will change the image and dimension of the clubtheir income and services to Atleti fans and all who want to enjoy the leisure and sports offer that we can offer from next season ».
Miguel Ángel Gil considers that the city of sport will change the concept that today is of football clubs: «It is the most ambitious project ever created by a football club around its stadium. It will be an example for others and will allow us to show the world that today's football, which is already a true sports industry, can turn towards an entertainment industry, experiences, content, coexistence, not forgetting the passion for colors, for a shield and for the result of each game ».
A change in which fans will remain as the essence, the engine that moves the entity: «I always say it, A club is what its social mass is. The heart of the club is their fans, our reason for being is working for and for them. And we dedicate a lot of people a large part of our life. And they value this dedication, as evidenced by the permanent growth of the athletic family ».
Together with that work aimed at enjoying fans, there is the obligation to direct an increasingly large club: «I also owe the shareholders of the company that manages the cluband for me, for my double condition as an Atleti fan and shareholder of society, I have to look for the difficult point of balance between fans feel proud to belong to this wonderful club and our management and that shareholders understand why we assume risks when making budgets. It is our formula to continue growing, be competitive and that fans feel pride of belonging. And at the same time it is the formula to revalue the actions of the shareholders of the company ».
Miguel Ángel Gil ends his review of the club's current affairs with a sense of thanks to the different groups of the club: «Partners, subscribers, sponsors, legends, senators, rocks, volunteers, players, technicians, employees, followers … We are many and all of them I want to thank you for your loyalty and commitment to Atlético de Madrid. Our passion and our way of understanding life are a treasure that we have to protect among all and that will allow us to continue doing things in our own way, with our values, and compete with those who are stronger than us ».
