MADRID – Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone returns to a happy hunting ground at the San Siro on Feb 20, but must put feelings aside in an intriguing Champions League last-16 clash with Inter Milan.

The Rojiblancos, fourth in La Liga but 11 points off leaders Real Madrid, need a strong run in Europe to make something significant of a season which started well but stalled with elimination from the Spanish Super Cup.

In their path are the runaway Serie A leaders and last season’s Champions League runners-up, with the first leg in Italy.

Simeone, who won the Uefa Cup in 1998 during his stint with Inter from 1997 to 1999, has fond memories from his time in Milan and has long been touted as a future coach of the Serie A side.

“Sooner or later, he’ll end up at Inter,” his sister and agent Natalia told newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport in 2018.

“He loves the club, the atmosphere and living in Milan. Inter is a side he would really love to coach.”

During the first half of last season, it seemed Simeone was close to the end of his tenure in the Spanish capital, with Atletico struggling.

Rumours emerged suggesting Inter would move for the 53-year-old in the summer, but the state of play changed at both clubs before then.

Atletico bounced back strongly in the final months and the Argentinian, encouraged greatly by the team’s improvement, decided to extend his deal until 2027.

Meanwhile, Simone Inzaghi’s Inter found form and came within a whisker of winning the Champions League for the first time since 2010.

Atletico have never won it at all – and it is the one clear piece of unfinished business for Simeone, who has led the team to virtually every other trophy.

The coach steered them to the final in 2014 and 2016, only for Real to defeat Atletico on both occasions in agonising fashion, in extra time and on penalties respectively.

If Atletico are to break new ground this season, Simeone will have to lead them past his former – and potentially future – team.

Victory in Europe has become Atletico’s key goal as they lie a long way off the pace in the Spanish title race.

Simeone and Inzaghi both tend to line up with 3-5-2 formations and the matches promise to be an intriguing tactical battle.

Atletico’s coach reserved special praise for Inzaghi, with whom he played at Lazio between 1999 and 2003.

“A team doesn’t win the Super Cup or (lead) the league without being a very well-drilled side.

“They have a coach, Simone, whom I have a good relationship with because I was with him at Lazio and he’s doing very good things at Inter,” said Simeone.

The Italian returned the favour, saying: “They’re physical, they know what they’re doing. They have lots of great players coached by a really good manager who was also a great teammate.”

Inter are in red-hot form with eight wins from eight in 2024, giving them the Italian Super Cup and a nine-point lead over Juventus in the top flight – with a game in hand.

Inzaghi has long been viewed as a cup coach, one who can win the domestic knockout baubles but is not capable of challenging for football’s biggest prizes.

But last season’s run to the Champions League final, where they narrowly lost to Manchester City, and their imperious current campaign in Serie A, suggest that Inzaghi belongs at the top table.

Inter have two points fewer than reigning champions Napoli – who charged to the Scudetto with five matches to spare – did at the same point last season.

But they have scored a goal more and have a better goal difference than Napoli did after 24 games.

“They have only lost one game this season, they are strong, they believe in what they do, and do a lot of work both in defence and attack,” Simeone told DAZN on Feb 17.

“They got to the (Champions League) final last year and it’s not just chance that they are leading Serie A.” AFP