German Burgos To Leave As Simeone’s Assistant At End Of Season
Atletico Madrid’s assistant manager German Burgos has confirmed he will be leaving the club at the end of the 2019/2020 season to continue his career as a full-time manager.
Burgos has been Diego Simeone’s right-hand man for close to a decade at three clubs; Catania, Racing Club and Atletico Madrid.
The former Argentina goalkeeper and Simeone were teammates at the national team and Atletico Madrid before they both retraced their steps to take charge of the Rojiblancos in 2011.
Burgos has been at Simeone’s side helping to transform Atletico into a major force in European football, with one La Liga title, two Europa Leagues, one Copa del Rey, two UEFA Super Cups and one Spanish Super Cup secured during their time together in the Spanish capital.
The 51-year-old confirmed his impending exit on Wednesday.
"At the end of the current 2019-20 season I will take my first steps as a head coach," he told Atletico's official website.
"I think that with over 10 years' experience in the first division, I'm fully qualified to manage a team.
"It will be influenced by those people who have made me who I am as a coach and a person. I carry them in my soul. Luis Aragones, Carlos Griguol, Marcelo Bielsa… people who have influenced me.
"It's a normal step for a second coach who wants to become a head coach."
On his relationship with Simeone, Burgos added: "He's a friend, we've known each other for such a long time.
"We understand each other with gestures, without gestures, with a glance, with a headbutt. I've said this before but I've had lunch and dinner more times with El Cholo than with my own family.
"We've been together eight years in the Argentina national team, several years at Atletico Madrid as players and eight years here as coaches. It's a lot of time."
