Why Atletico Madrid's 'Ballgate' Proved Diego Simeone's Unique Passion

Hopefully they’ve got a better suffix for such things in Spain, but over here we'll probably call it “Ballgate."

As Malaga set off on a counter-attack late in the first half of their clash with Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday, a second ball suddenly shot into view from the left touchline near the Atletico bench, thrown in the direction of the 21-year-old winger Ricardo Horta as he raced forward.

Despite seeing double, the young Portuguese was able to keep his eye on the ball that mattered, continuing a quick break which ultimately led to nothing. But where had that other ball come from? It was hard to escape the conclusion that Atletico had been up to no good.

In reality, it was probably just an overenthusiastic ballboy or the late returning of the ball from the crowd—Malaga had just taken a throw-in—but such was the fuss surrounding a fairly crazy few seconds, when the music finally stopped Diego Simeone had been sent to the stands.

As detailed by ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan, in La Liga, the coach is responsible for the behaviour of the bench, so Simeone quite literally took one for the team when he was banished for the second period.

He seemed quite philosophical about it in his post-match press conference, though, saying: "It's clear that the referee took the correct decision, following the rules. He did what he had to do, sending off the coach. It was a kid who was beside us [who threw the ball], but that does not change anything."

Given his supreme devotion to a club he continues to give to his heart and soul to, you suspect Simeone would take a bullet for that ballboy, never mind a suspension. And in typical fashion, it wasn’t long before he was claiming his vantage point in the stands was what allowed him to make what proved to be the match-winning decision.

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Substitute Angel Correa came on for Yannick Carrasco after 57 minutes and promptly bagged the winner—with the existing matchball—five minutes later. “You see things differently from higher up," Corrigan quoted Simeone as saying. "I was right to think about Correa, I saw that well."

A negative into a positive. A challenge into a triumph.

It is clear to see what type of narrative Simeone is looking to foster at the Calderon, and given he’s got arguably the three biggest roadblocks in world football in his way if he is to succeed in his goals this season, it makes sense to do just that.

Barcelona followed up Wednesday night’s 8-0 success with a 6-0 win on Saturday, while a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Real Madrid came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano. Bayern Munich—who await in the Champions League on Wednesday—strolled to a 2-0 win at Hertha Berlin, a game in which Robert Lewandowski was rested for all but the final six minutes.

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These are the challenges that lie ahead of Simeone, but the coach’s great strength is his belief in his ideals and character, and that is written all over his team.

Atletico have won five games in a row in all competitions and haven’t conceded a goal since the opening half hour of the first of those at Espanyol on April 9.

Of course, Bayern will prove to be the toughest test of that, but you can be sure that Simeone will be drilling his team relentlessly before he renews battle with Pep Guardiola, especially now he might see the knockout format of the Champions League as the best chance his side has of glory this season.

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There is such a devotion and dedication to his job that it is impossible not to admire him, and it often comes out in bizarre ways, such as when a ballboy throws a ball onto a pitch at an inopportune moment.

Simeone is Atletico, and Atletico are him. As he gets to the defining weeks of another attempt at putting aristocratic noses out of joint, he looks to be a man on a mission.

Other clubs and managers might end up being successful this season, but none of them would feel those successes quite like Simeone would.