Double appearance at Atlético: the "pride" of having Simeone as coach for Ruggeri and the "shared hopes" of winning titles for Cardoso

On Aitana 's day at the Metropolitano, where dozens of fans lined up outside the red-and-white stadium to take up positions in the front rows for the concert, Atlético de Madrid doubled its presentations in an attempt to complete the introduction of the numerous signings that have been made this summer.

He was the first to sign and the one who initially showed the most enthusiasm, having said he would arrive on foot. Matteo Ruggeri , the full-back who stood out for Atalanta as they won the Europa League, arrived at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano as "the arrival who will increase the competitiveness of the defense," according to Atlético de Madrid president Enrique Cerezo .

The Italian, shy in his presentation, dressed in black and a white shirt, welcomed the manager's words as he faced the press room that will host him this season.

The player was discreet in his statements, except for the forcefulness he showed in two aspects. He spoke about his desire to come: "It's a dream," he repeated repeatedly. And he spoke about the quality his coach displays in training: "It's an honor to have Simeone as a coach because of the intensity he brings, the way he trains, and his style," he praised the Argentine.

Although he stated in his answers that he had already set goals for Los Ángeles de San Rafael, he declined to reveal what they were or whether winning titles was among them, as both Álex Baena and Thiago Almada had stated at their presentations a few days prior.

The left-back will wear the number 3 shirt, a clear statement of intent in a squad where he'll have Javi Galán as his main competitor. "My teammates have welcomed me excellently. I'm very comfortable both on and off the pitch. We're a very strong team, and I think we can achieve the goals we set for ourselves as a team," he noted.

Cardoso, Simeone's number 5

The next to come to the fore was former Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso , who arrived at the red-and-white club as a long-held dream of Cholo's , to fill a position he knows well. "Simeone is teaching me, and it's going to be a very special season," revealed the American of Brazilian origin, who holds an Italian passport—a circumstance that is by no means insignificant, although Lino 's departure to Flamengo this morning for €22 million freed up a foreign spot in the squad.

Cardoso expressed "the same hopes" for the club, and although he initially spoke of "winning titles," he later qualified and asserted that the goal was to fight for them. "It's a team that has signed a lot of young people with the hopes of playing in many championships and fighting for them all," he maintained.

The midfielder has placed Atlético on the same level as Real Madrid or Barcelona and maintained that he has "great confidence in the club's project." "I'm arriving with great enthusiasm to improve as a person, as an athlete, and as a team. There are exceptional players here," he declared at his presentation.

As if there weren't enough signs of the manager's desire, the player, alongside Enrique Cerezo, showed off the shirt he'll wear this season, which, of course, will feature the number five on his back. A player with "great recovery and arrival," as Cerezo praised, Cardoso has the responsibility of uniting Atlético's game. To achieve this, he'll have a good mentor.