As we approach the festive season and the La Liga winter break, it would appear that we may be treated to a three-way title fight.
With Barcelona showing chinks in their armour and Real Madrid having their own well-documented struggles, things seemed to have finally clicked at the Metropolitano in Madrid.
Atlético Madrid has generated excellent form in both domestic and European competition, with huge 5-0 and 6-0 victories against Real Valladolid and Sparta Praha, respectively.
The increased collective spirit and dominant performances have allowed them to reemerge as serious title challengers, thanks to the impact of a certain Simeone—but not the one you might expect!
21-year-old Giuliano Simeone has asserted himself as an effective catalyst within his father, Diego Simeone’s Atleti squad, with excellent tenacity and desire on the pitch.
Whilst claims of nepotism and favouritism are to be expected, Giuliano’s actions on the pitch are creating a positive selection headache for his manager.
Naturally, he epitomises the ‘Choloism’ mentality that Diego Simeone has sought to instil within his Atleti side.
He relentlessly presses to regain possession and provides a rapid outlet in transition.
This scout report and analysis will highlight some of the features of Giuliano’s play which has allowed him to look so comfortable at the elite level.
His performances have been exceptional as of late, and have heavily contributed to the effectiveness of his team’s tactics as a whole.
How Does Giuliano Simeone Fit In?
When addressing Giuliano’s recent emergence within the starting eleven, it is important to highlight his positional versatility, which allows him to take advantage of every opportunity.
Over the past month, we have seen him slot in nicely on the right-hand side of Atlético’s 4-4-2 formation, with two glaring tactical shifts depending on overall selection and opposition.
For example, his position on the right wing allowed him to adopt a much more attacking mindset against Real Valladolid and Sparta Praha.
This was because Diego Simeone has been experimenting with a fluid attacking setup, which morphs into more of a 4-3-3 when his side is attacking in transition.
Depending on the personnel at his disposal, we often see Conor Gallagher or Rodrigo Riquelme slotting into a three-man midfield from the left flank, with Giuliano ready to hold the width for his side on the opposite flank.
The key difference for Atlético has been when Simeone has opted for a more conservative defensive lineup, emphasising Giuliano’s ability to be combative and break up play.
This often occurs when Cesar Azpilicueta is preferred to Marcos Llorente at right wing-back.
The former Chelsea captain is much more accustomed to tucking inside and supporting play through the half-space and central channels.
With weaker defensive support out wide, Giuliano must operate in a much more reserved role when out of possession—something we will begin to highlight later.
Giuliano Simeone’s Attacking Qualities
When observing Giuliano Simeone’s attacking style of play, it is clear to see that his pace and explosive movement are some of his most impactful qualities.
His father even joked that this wasn’t something the young winger had inherited from him, but it remains a true game-changer for Atlético.
The chaotic nature of his dribbling can definitely be refined going forward.
Still, Giuliano uses it to good effect when evading defenders and driving towards the penalty area from those wider positions.
We see here how Giuliano’s resilient character, matched with his attacking desire, allows the Argentine to consistently ride challenges before producing an excellent cut-back cross for Antoine Griezmann in the centre.
Another moment that truly highlights his evasiveness is his first Atlético goal against Las Palmas—a true solo effort that was intelligently crafted.
Giuliano’s ability to run beyond the opposing defensive line has blended nicely with his side’s use of direct and progressive ball-playing defenders.
