Agüero raises Atlético ambition

The last time Club Atlético de Madrid edged ahead of Real Madrid CF in the Primera División at this stage of the season, Los Colchoneros went on to win a fabulous league and cup double.

Burning desire
That was in 1996 when Sergio 'Kun' Agüero was a little Buenos Aires lad of seven, dreaming of glory and only eight years away from the match in which he would rob Diego Maradona of his record as Argentina's youngest debutant in the first division. Today he is the emblem of Atlético's burning desire to reward their loyal fans for a decade of disappointments.

European prize
Victory at the Vicente Calderón stadium on Saturday would put Atlético fourth, ahead of Madrid on head-to-head record, in the fight for Spain's final UEFA Champions League qualifying slot. For sides that miss out on the UEFA Champions League it is usually the financial impact which is cited, but for aristocrats Madrid the slap to the face of seeing their city rivals muscle them out would be next to unbearable.

Scrutiny
Atlético paid a club-record fee of around €26m for the then 17-year-old striker from CA Independiente last summer. His 12 goals in all competitive and friendly matches, plus a handful of penalties won and assists provided, already begin to argue that the investment was visionary. Confidence has not been in short supply.

'Challenge'
"I know precisely what it would mean to this club and our fans to win a 'clásico' after so long," he said. "And the thought of doing that to go ahead of Madrid in the league at this stage of the campaign is spectacular. Every day in training our supporters have been on the touchlines reminding us, 'You must win, you must win'. I think this challenge will bring the best out of me and I won't settle for anything other than victory."

Special talent
Agüero's Romário-esque goal in Camp Nou just before Christmas, plus his three appearances for Argentina this term - against Brazil, Spain and FIFA World Cup finalists France - give weight to the idea that this is a special talent. Two things stand out about this young man: his startling bursts of skill and his warm personality.

House of laughter
Perhaps it is less surprising he is so down to earth when you learn that not long ago he was sharing his modest family home in Buenos Aires with 15 people – brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, grandparents and his dog, Atila. He says it was a house of "laughter", much of which he seems to have brought with him to life in Madrid.

Sunny personality
Comfortable with the media and popular with the sizeable South American community at Atlético, his motto is he plays with "the sun". It is not just his sunny disposition he is referring to but his preference for "hiding in the shade on the pitch" and then "striking when the defenders have gone to sleep".

On the rise
"In Argentina I was often kicked or double-marked so when it's sunny I always look for the shadow of my marker on the pitch beside me and use that knowledge to sprint in the opposite direction from the one he appears to be going." With Atlético on the rise, Agüero could soon be leaving Madrid in the shade.

This is a shortened version of an article that appears in this week's uefa.com Magazine. To read the article in full click here.