José María Giménez returned to the city of Madrid on Saturday, but this time it was not Atlético de Madrid who received him; The Uruguayan faced his former club at the Metropolitano, the new stadium that the team inaugurated. For the forward, who arrived at the club in 2013 and left home 13 years later to sign with Deportivo de la Coruña on loan, the day was a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. Upon entering the field, the fans gave him a standing ovation and, in the south stand, a banner with the motto "Respect to the one who always respected us. Giménez, 'uno di noi'" reminded him of the affection that the colchoneros show him. At the end of the meeting, at the Movistar microphones, Giménez expressed his gratitude: "Grateful for all the love and affection that the Metropolitano gave me. From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much. I will always carry it with me."
Giménez's return also provoked comments from his former locker room teammates. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who joined Atlético in 2014 from Benfica, recalled how strange it was to see his former youth teammate in the rivalry. "It has been very strange. Pela arrived here a year before me. Since my beginnings in the club he has been with me, we have been together. It has been special but very strange, because you do not realize that now he is not with us, that he is in another team. I have seen him very well, I am very happy for him, that he is doing well, that he is healthy and that he enjoys football," Oblak said. Regarding the possibility of Giménez scoring with his head again, the goalkeeper added with humor: "Thank goodness he didn't score with a header, which he used to do here. I'm sure he'll do it in the next few days against other teams."
Midfielder Julián Álvarez also spoke about his relationship with the Uruguayan. "He is a character, a good person who during the time we shared, the truth is that he did very well. A lot of mate, a lot of laughter, a lot of talks. We love him a lot, I wish him the best and it is always nice to cross paths on the court," commented Álvarez, remembering the moments of camaraderie they shared in the locker room. For his part, forward Giuliano recalled Giménez's long career at the club. "I knew him from a very young age, when he came from Argentina to see Atlético de Madrid. I saw him grow up here and playing against him is strange, I hope it was special to play in his stadium, where he lived so much and gave a lot to Atlético de Madrid. He left everything for this shield in the years he was here, I hope it was special," he added.
With the game over, Atlético de Madrid continues competing in the Spanish league, while Giménez continues his career at Deportivo. The meeting made it clear that, despite rivalries, football continues to be a bridge that unites players and fans, and that respect and friendship transcend the lines of the field.