Simeone's 'cold balls' dig ahead of the Atlético - Real Madrid derby
Diego Simeone faced the media before the Madrid derby and left a heavily ironic message about LaLiga's fixture scheduling. The Argentine coach used the famous 'cold balls' expression when asked about the dates of the clash against Real Madrid. Atlético host the reigning champions at the Metropolitano on Sunday, September 20, in what has become a recurring early-season fixture in San Blas.
ByInfoBlaugrana
5 min read
The Madrid derby is back at the Metropolitano in late September, and Diego Simeone did not miss the chance to land a sarcastic blow. The Atlético de Madrid coach spoke to journalists on Saturday ahead of Sunday's clash against Real Madrid, and when asked about the fixture dates he answered with two words that sum up his stance: 'cold balls'.
- Simeone replied 'cold balls' when asked about the derby schedule.
- Atlético host Real Madrid at the Metropolitano on Sunday, September 20.
- For the fifth straight season, the first-leg derby is played in San Blas at nearly the same time of year.
- The Argentine coach pointed ironically to LaLiga's non-random fixture planning.
- LaLiga justifies its scheduling through television and commercial interests.
Simeone's dig: what the 'cold balls' theory means
The expression used by Simeone refers to one of the most widespread theories in European football. For decades, draws in competitions such as the European Cup or the UEFA Cup were said to be rigged by cooling certain balls before the ceremony. The idea was that whoever put their hand in the bowl could identify those balls by touch and steer the pairings. The Cholo brought that image back to talk, with a restrained smile, about the way Spanish league fixtures are distributed.
His comment was not accidental. It came right after a question about the derby dates and about the almost identical repetition of the schedule in recent seasons. The message, halfway between a joke and a criticism, pointed directly at the people who design the LaLiga calendar.
A copy-paste derby: San Blas and late September every single year
Atlético de Madrid have faced Real Madrid at home in the first half of the season for five consecutive campaigns. And not just at home: always at the Metropolitano, always in September, and always with dates clustered in the final stretch of the month. The immediate precedents were played on September 18, 24, 29 and 27. This time, the match is set for Sunday the 20th.
The pattern goes beyond the opponent and the venue. Atlético have also seen their toughest away trips, such as visits to Real Sociedad, Valencia, Sevilla or Athletic Club, concentrated in nearby fixtures over the past five years. That pile-up of demanding road games has become a recurring argument among those who question the transparency of the draw.
Why LaLiga spreads derbies according to its own interests
LaLiga does not hide that the league calendar is not the result of a purely random draw. The organisation admits that it spaces out the most attractive matchups throughout the season to prevent them from piling up in the opening weeks. The stated goal is to maximise the television and commercial appeal of the competition by spreading Clásicos and derbies according to its own broadcasting priorities.
That logic is exactly what feeds Simeone's scepticism. For the Atlético coach, the systematic repetition of venues and dates is not a coincidence but the result of a design that conditions competitive fairness. His 'cold balls' irony sums up a feeling shared by much of the dressing room and the colchonera fanbase.
Atlético's habit of finishing the season away from home
Simeone's complaint goes beyond the first-half derby. In recent years, Atlético have closed the league campaign with their final match away from the Metropolitano in almost every recent season. That fact, harmless when the team has nothing to play for, takes on a different dimension when titles or European qualification are at stake.
In previous campaigns, the rojiblanco side reached the last round with live objectives and had to settle them on the road. The repetition of that circumstance reinforces the perception that the fixture list does not treat every club equally, an idea Simeone chose not to develop at length but clearly left hanging with his answer.
What is at stake for Atlético in the Metropolitano derby
Beyond the scheduling debate, Sunday's match arrives with all the tension of a Madrid derby. Atlético defend their San Blas fortress against a Real Madrid side that always demands the best version of the rojiblancos. For Simeone, the game is a test of competitive maturity at a stage of the season when pieces and automation are still settling.
The Argentine coach delivered his message without losing focus on the sporting target. His irony about 'cold balls' does not divert attention from the main goal: taking three points against a direct rival and proving the team is ready to compete in the most demanding stretch of the calendar.
'Cold balls,' Simeone snapped with sarcasm when journalists asked him about the derby dates.
FAQ about the derby and Simeone's 'cold balls' comment
Frequently asked questions
What does the 'cold balls' expression mean in football?
It is a classic theory claiming that some European competition draws were rigged by cooling certain balls so that the person drawing could identify them by touch and steer the pairings. Simeone used it ironically to refer to LaLiga's fixture scheduling.
Why did Simeone criticise the derby dates against Real Madrid?
Because Atlético host Real Madrid at the Metropolitano for the fifth straight season in the first half of the campaign, always in September and on nearly identical dates. The coach believes that repetition comes from a designed calendar, not from a random draw.
When is the Atlético de Madrid - Real Madrid match played?
The Madrid derby takes place on Sunday, September 20 at the Metropolitano stadium, in the first round of LaLiga. It is the fifth consecutive season with the first-leg derby in San Blas during September.