José María Giménez leaves Atlético Madrid on loan to Deportivo La Coruña for one year

Thirteen years add up to a lot. To 384 official matches, to five titles shared with Diego Simeone, and to becoming one of those players you can no longer picture without the red and white jersey. And yet this week, José María Giménez packed his bags and left. Not for another country, nor an exotic league: he went to Deportivo La Coruña, on a one year loan, and he did it for a reason he laid out himself, without dancing around it.

The Uruguayan defender was presented this Thursday as Dépor's newest player, and there, at the press conference, he confirmed what many had suspected: he'd known for a while that his exit from Atlético Madrid was a matter of when, not if. "I already knew since last year that I was going to leave, and obviously when that situation comes up is when you look at all the possibilities. My kids didn't leave Madrid and it's hard, it's a new stage. We're living this new stage with tremendous excitement," he explained.

What stands out is the reason he gave for the goodbye. He didn't talk about lack of minutes or friction in the locker room. He talked about helping out. "It's true that it's hard to leave after thirteen years living in a city like Madrid and at a club I love, but I understood the club's situation. Atlético needed my help, and because I love them, I was going to help them," Giménez said, making clear the departure was more a gesture toward the club than a personal decision.

A chapter that began in 2013

Giménez arrived at Atlético in the 2013-2014 season, when he was barely a promising youth player, and ended up becoming a fixture in the back line for more than a decade. With Simeone on the bench, he celebrated two La Liga titles, a Spanish Super Cup, a Europa League and a European Super Cup. He also won other titles with the club, but those five he experienced directly under the Argentine coach, with whom he built a relationship of trust that few players in the squad have shared.

Now, for the first time in thirteen years, the Uruguayan won't wear red and white or answer to El Cholo from out on the field. He'll play at Riazor, on loan for one season, with the idea of regaining rhythm and relevance. The defender remains under contract with Atlético through June 2028, which leaves the door open for a return if his performance holds up.

For Dépor, landing a center back with that résumé and that experience in Spain's top flight and in European competitions is a bold move. For Giménez, it's a chance to prove, away from the Metropolitano, that he still has plenty left to give. And who knows, maybe a year from now that same form at Riazor will be enough to convince Simeone there's room for him again at Atlético.