Should we class 2024-25 as the second coming of Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid? Or the third, or the fourth? He's run Atletico for so many years and reinvented them so many times that it's tricky keeping count.
The glory days of 2013-14, when Atletico won La Liga and came within a hair's breadth of winning the Champions League, too, is destined to stand as his finest work, but Simeone is no one-hit wonder. A second domestic title came in 2020-21. A third cannot be discounted because, in Spain, nobody can quite live with Atletico's rampant form.
Across all competitions, it's 12 victories on the spin for Simeone's squad. In La Liga, it's seven back to back. And while several of those results were posted against teams at the lower end of the division, Atletico gave it the big one on Saturday by going to Barcelona and winning 2-1 -- from 1-0 down and in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
There's a long way to go, clearly, but the season is developing into yet another validation of Simeone, who, in an era of increasingly short-lived tenures, has been managing Atletico for 13 and a half years now. It's also a validation of Atletico's summer, when they were active to the tune of almost £200m ($251m). The club aimed to go again. And haven't they just.
The presence of Antoine Griezmann at Atletico -- closing in on 34 but scoring, assisting and turning it on in his own style -- tempts you to think this is still 2014, but while some things don't change, Simeone is not remotely afraid of evolution.
In the last transfer window, Atletico went purposely big. They spent heavily on striker Julian Alvarez, who was looking for a way out of Manchester City. They threw £27m at another forward, Alexander Sorloth, who buried Saturday's winner and left Barca on their backs. Defender Robin Le Normand came from Real Sociedad and, despite some weirdness, a deal to bring in Conor Gallagher from Chelsea got there in the end.
Two things proved pivotal for Atletico. Firstly, all of those signings have worked, even if Le Normand had to cope with a nasty head injury. There's been next to no buyer's remorse. And secondly, 2024 was a great summer in which to roll the dice -- because neither Barca nor Real Madrid are in their pomp. Both have been in and out and Simeone found Barca wanting with some clever and well-timed substitutions. Atletico lead the table on merit.
Admittedly, their lead over Madrid is a mere point and Barca are only two further back. Simeone cannot bask in the warm glow of reinvention yet, but no club and coach anywhere represent a neater fit. His ability to rattle the establishment is legendary. In a country where two teams carry so much clout, it's something to be celebrated.
Botafogo have had a hell of a year. They won Brazil's Serie A championship by a six-point margin from Palmeiras, their first title in almost three decades. They also claimed the Copa Libertadores, a maiden triumph on that front.
A unique aspect of those successes was that they came on the watch of a foreign ownership group. Because of the way Brazilian football was traditionally governed, that would have been impossible before 2021 -- when rules were relaxed to allow clubs to operate as businesses, rather than simple sporting institutions.
John Textor, owner of Lyon and shareholder at Crystal Palace, took control of Botafogo in 2022. Textor's reputation in Europe might be mixed, but down in South America, his investment has paid off handsomely. Teams in Brazil are somewhat untapped compared to other parts of the world and multi-club models have them in their eyeline. Get ready for more foreign intervention there soon.
Goal of the day on Saturday came courtesy of League Two Doncaster Rovers. Their second in a 3-1 win over Tranmere Rovers relied on winger Luke Molyneux nobbling defender Jordan Turnbull... by pulling down his shorts. The referee wasn't fussed. Who am I to argue?