A typical Conor Gallagher moment in Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 win over Athletic Club on Saturday brought out Diego Simeone’s mania as they retained their two-point lead over both Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Julian Alvarez – signed from Manchester City for an initial £64m in the summer – scored his 21st goal of the season for Simeone’s side midway through the second half at the Metropolitano Stadium, but it was another summer addition who went viral for his contribution.
Gallagher started all but one Premier League game under Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea last season – captaining his boyhood side in many of them – but was deemed surplus to requirements by the Blues bosses, who valued his £35m pure profit sale more than his contributions on the pitch.
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He’s made 33 appearances for the Spanish giants, starting roughly half of those games, contributing two goals and four assists while operating both in his natural central midfield position and on the left.
But it’s his unrelenting style, which has seen him nicknamed ‘El Pitbull’ in Spain for bringing ‘new lungs’ to the team, that has quickly made him a favourite of Diego ‘El Cholo’ Simeone.
‘He is the kind of player who suits us and El Cholo. That quality Conor has off the ball is what gives El Cholo life. Within his DNA is our ethos of not stopping and the characteristics of our football club,’ an Atletico source said recently.
Those qualities took centre stage on Saturday against Athletic Club, with his contribution late in the game having come off the bench for the last half hour going viral on social media.
As opposition players looked to retain possession in their own half, Gallagher tore after them and won the ball with one sliding tackle, before getting up and producing another brilliant sliding challenge to send the ball out for a goal-kick.
Simeone and his assistant went wild on the touchline while the Metropolitano crowd roared in appreciation of his commitment to the cause.
I WAS SO MOVED https://t.co/oPIppVTptq pic.twitter.com/eDjKK4NhAf
— hassan (@Hassan241) March 1, 2025
The England international pressed relentlessly having entered the fray, recorded three interceptions, won every tackle he contested and made seven defensive actions.
Atletico next face bitter rivals Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 on Tuesday, and Simeone urged his players to quickly switch focus.
“We have a big game in the Champions League and at the moment we just have to focus on that and get well rested during these three days off,” Simeone told a news conference.
“What we have to do at the moment is continue to strengthen the collective work of the players and not lose that focus.”