Mario Hermoso's departure from Atlético de Madrid to Roma has caused a great stir. The statements of the former Atlético centre-back upon landing in the Italian capital, where he compared the passion of the Atlético and Roma fans, have left many surprised.
Fortunately, Atleti have Le Normand as their new star centre-back, as well as Lenglet in the squad.
Beautiful says goodbye with a surprise in the air
Mario Hermoso , who signed for Roma as a free agent after failing to renew his contract with Atlético de Madrid, has left an important legacy at the red-and-white team. The Madrid defender, who played 174 games and scored 10 goals under Simeone , became a key piece in the Argentine coach's plans. However, after several months of negotiations for his renewal, an agreement was not reached, which led the player to look for a new destination in Serie A.
In his first words as a new player for the ' giallorosso ' team, Hermoso surprised many by highlighting how easy it was for him to make the decision to move from Madrid to Rome. "For me it was a simple change of life compared to my life in Madrid, with my family and with what I wanted on a sporting level," Hermoso explained. This suggested that the challenge he was looking for was no longer to be found at Atlético.
These statements caused an immediate impact among his former teammates and the Atlético fans. Koke, as one of the leaders of the dressing room, was quick to react with surprise. Although he has not spoken publicly, sources close to the club indicate that Hermoso's departure left a significant void in the defence.
Simeone and the challenge of replacing Hermoso
Mario Hermoso's departure represents a major challenge for Diego Simeone, who had relied on the experience and versatility of the Madrid defender. Over the seasons, Hermoso gained the coach's trust for his ability to play both as a centre-back and as a left-back.
With his departure, Simeone will have to look for alternatives to strengthen the defence, something that was already in the plans after the arrival of Clement Lenglet. However, the loss of a player who had been at the club for so many years and was adapted to the defensive scheme represents an added challenge for the Argentine coach.