Summer 2019 was one of the most turbulent in the recent history of the Atlético. The best defense in recent history left (Juanfran, Godín and Filipe) but the payment clauses were also paid Griezmann, Rodri… and Lucas Hernández. As much as the red and whites tried to stop the Frenchman from leaving, reality led him to Bayern Munich and the search to find a replacement worthy of him.
And there Mario Hermoso appearedthen leader of the defense Espanyol and that he fulfilled one of the qualities that the rojiblancos were looking for: that he was capable of being a center and left-back. A two in one, a replica, in short, of what the greatest of the Hernandez brothers.
From Cornellà they took advantage of the red and white need to ask more than 20 million for the player. After a long negotiation he ended up signing for the five seasons he has just completed. The player, logically, asked for a high payroll (more than four million net) which finally ended up being key to his departure, which is certified today, June 30.
Mario Hermoso: “We assume the Champions League as a responsibility”
And the fact is that politics from the offices goes through drastically lower the wage bill. They know it well Koke y Simeone, who expanded downwards, and all the players who have found themselves in a position that has cost Hermoso his continuity. He received a low offer in December and by not accepting it he no longer had any more offers from the red and whites.
A five-year period of ups and downs
In this way, five years of ups and downs close today. The first season was difficult due to the adaptation but in the second season Beautiful It was key when Simeone adopted the defense of five and he put the Madrid native as a left-footed center back alongside Giménez and Savic. A decisive triangle for the championship although in the following three years they did not reach that level again.
Beautiful, wanted by several teams but without signing for anyone yet, leaves the Metropolitano after playing 174 games, score 10 goals and having a relationship with the stands with some tense moments (the day he defended Griezmann against attacks from the back) but leaving the flavor of someone who defended with all his might a jersey that he will never wear again. End of a beautiful five years.
