WATCH EXCLUSIVE: Guillem Balague talks to Filipe Luis on Simeone, Mourinho and winning titles

After a brief stint in England with Chelsea Filipe Luis finds himself back under the tutorship of Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. A man who has played a key part in his rise to notoriety, both in Spain and abroad, he contributes to Diego Simeone. The success of Atletico Madrid coincided with the arrival of the Argentinian and Filipe believes the coach is primarily responsible for the upturn in fortunes on the pitch. “I think it [Atletico’s success] wouldn’t have been possible without Simeone.”

There is something captivating about Diego Simeone and the relationship he has with his players and coaching staff. It’s like one big family. “Atletico Madrid is a club that shows its values of fighting spirit and strength – the coach shares those same values. That’s what he’s shown us. He made the team start to grow; believe in its own potential and that’s what made the achievements of the last year possible.” Simeone demands that each player leaves everything out on the pitch. He creates an atmosphere and ideology that if you buy into, that if you follow, will ultimately help you succeed.

While the Copa del Rey victory over city rivals Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu is his fondest memory, it isn’t the match he’s watched back the most. That accolade is held by the victory in the Camp Nou which meant Atletico Madrid were crowned league champions. “I saw the entire match 3 or 4 times and the club gave each player a USB stick with the match on it which I also watched. It’s very emotional I enjoy watching it.”

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One match he doesn’t care to see again is the Champions League loss against Real Madrid, “It’s quite painful to watch, even now. Of course you think about it sometimes when you’re in bed, but the match went the way it did – and I know it was fair and I feel better knowing that.”

Filipe Luis feels at home with Atletico and is someone Diego Simeone personally asked to return. He knows that the club is sometimes viewed by neutrals as quite aggressive but it he says it’s something that only exists on the pitch. “I’ve met a lot of players that are aggressive [on the pitch], they fight and don’t play fairly. Perhaps on the pitch they are [seen as] bad people but off the pitch they’re really nice people and great parents.”

Simeone is someone that never stops working, never stops fighting to improve and show the players that every moment is a lesson in their learning process or development. Yet to suggest he isn’t a good man manager would be naïve. “He knows when a player needs encouragement and when he needs to be told off – and more importantly the right moment to do so.”

As a squad grows in size and in turn so do expectations, Simeone challenges the players to compete against each other for a starting place. “His best strategy is creating internal competition between the players, with everyone knowing he will choose the best ones to play [that week].”

The fans have quickly forgotten Filipe Luis’ brief stint in London and he’s slotted back into the side with relative ease. He feels at home under the stewardship of a manager who trusts him and perhaps his flirtation with the Premier League, or moving to an alleged bigger side, will make the current stars at Atletico Madrid realise how good they currently have it and that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Interview by Guillem Balague/Text by Andrew Gaffney