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Mikel Arteta full of praise for Diego Simeone on eve of Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid clash
Diego Simeone is a major reason for Atletico Madrid's success and the team is a reflection of the long-tenured manager, according to Mikel Arteta.
Simeone's Atletico Madrid will pay a visit to Emirates Stadium in London to take on Arsenal, led by Arteta, in one of the bigger matches on Matchday 3 of the Champions League.
With six points from two games, Arsenal's one of six clubs with a perfect record through the first two matches of the league phase, and the Gunners also lead the Premier League after eight rounds of play.
Yet despite their red-hot form, Atletico will pose a big challenge for Arteta's men. Under Simeone, the Spanish side has flourished with a play style that is undeniable, and Arteta believes the personality of Atletico's manager is heavily reflected in the team.
"At the highest level, I think what he's done since he got to Atletico has been outstanding, not only what he has achieved but the way he's done it," Arteta said on Monday, one day before the teams meet. "I think the identity that he has created for the club, for the team, the spirit, I think they are very simple and clear to identify, and that's because the manager is very much them.
"That's extremely difficult to achieve for a short period of time and to do it for 14 years, I think he's been there now, he's done something incredible so it'll be a pleasure to meet him."
Arteta has sometimes been compared to Simeone in how the Arsenal boss demands a clear identity from his club, and also with the way the Gunners have become synonymous with the man patrolling the sidelines at the Emirates since 2019.
The Spaniard, who has led Arsenal to back-to-back runners-up finishes in the Premier League and is hoping to bring the club one step further this season, thinks Simeone's ability to communicate with his players has helped the Argentine's longevity in Madrid.
"What is for me outstanding is his passion, I think for how long he's been in the game and in the same club, with the same players, and how you still have that handle and that capacity to transmit such an energy and willingness to win," Arteta said.
"It's a very tough environment that we live in, and to keep convincing players, you have to be extraordinary as well. I don't know him personally but everything that I have heard about him is that he's so good at doing that. That's one of the reasons why you are able to sustain at that level."
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