Diego Ribas da Cunha announced his return to the Bundesliga in the August of 2010, having previously spent three wonderfully successful years in Bremen before a torrid season at Juventus following a €24.5m move from the Weserstadion. The Brazilian was recruited by then VfL Wolfsburg manager Steve McClaren for a club record fee at the time of €15.5m. The pressure on Diego to succeed was on, with the Lower Saxony club looking to reach the heights of their 2008/09 title winning season. 

Ribas started off well on a personal note for the Wolves, scoring in a debut 3-4 loss to Mainz. However, the team itself throughout the season had to fend off relegation threats instead of challenging for the title - miles away from their inital targets. Then an incident in the February of that season was the cause of an eruption of chaos for Diego, McClaren and the club. Away to Hannover at the AWD Arena, Wolfsburg were trailing 1-0 due to Sergio Pinto’s thunderous 5th minute strike. With 10 minutes left, McClaren’s side were nervously looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone, Diego was stamped on and earned the Wolves a penalty. Patrick Helmes, the usual penalty taker, was robbed of the opportunity to equalise for the away side as Diego had taken control and placed the ball on the spot. Much to the dismay of McClaren. Ribas stepped back and cannoned his effort off the crossbar, the fury being etched in McClaren’s face by the second as Wolfsburg went on to lose the match. The former England manager’s course of action regarding Diego’s light ill discipline was to fine the player €100,000 and to stop him playing any part in the following match against Hamburg. The manager was removed from his post soon after and replaced by a former boss at Wolfsburg, title winning coach Felix Magath, who had been sacked from Schalke 04 not two days before. Magath was to endure the wrath of Diego’s ill temperament as well, though, in one of the biggest games of Wolfsburg’s season. 

May 14th 2010; Wolfsburg had to battle Hoffenheim and secure victory to definitely avoid the ghastly end of season relegation play off. Before the match, in the team hotel, Magath addressed Diego and informed him he would be among the substitutes for the crunch tie. Infuriated, Diego stormed out of the hotel and was not available to Magath on the bench, leaving the German with only 6 substitutes - a worrying lack of depth in the squad and an astonishing inadequacy of professionalism from Diego. Thankfully, Magath guided his team to a 3-1 victory and succeeded in steering the club clear of relegation, but Diego was fined a whopping €500,000 by the club and told in the following Autumn he had no future at the club. Magath was quoted by various German media outlets:

“It was clear that working together would be a problem and that it would be better if we went our separate way”. Diego said of the situation himself: “ ”I always felt well here but I did make a mistake. Now it is all about finding the best solution for the club and myself.”

So, who would take on what seemed to be a risk, a liability, for a club, despite his talent? 

Diego Simeone of Atlético Madrid decided to take his name sake to the Vicente Calderón for the whole of the 2011-12 season. It soon proved to be a masterstroke of an addition to the Argentinian’s squad. Atletico Madrid capitalised and were reaping the benefits of Europe's missed trick. Simeone’s faith in Diego resulted in the playmaker being involved in 16 goals in just 33 appearances; scoring six and creating ten for his team mates. He also enjoyed a fruitful campaign in that season’s Europa League.. Ribas scored three times and made seven goals, including a goal in the final and assisting then Atletico hitman; Radamel Falcao. A hugely impressive performance from Ribas in which earned him worldwide, deserved plaudits. A season ending with Atleti in fifth place in La Liga and a fairly successful run in the Europa League. Not a bad campaign! 

Diego seemed yearning to stay for the following season, but Wolfsburg demanded too high a fee and Diego’s wages were too extortionate for Atlético to complete a permanent deal. With a seemingly heavy heart, Diego said an emotional fair well to Los Rojiblancos, “Today, my professional relationship with Atlético has ended, but my relationship of love and affection with this club and its marvellous supporters will never end”. His time with the club had given his career a renaissance of sorts, something he wouldn’t forget. 
 

Return to Wolfsburg 

It was very much a case of new season, old problems in terms of Diego’s strained relationship with Wolfsburg’s manager, Felix Magath. Ribas was criticised for his efforts in training and was temporarily put in the reserve side. Magath again repeated Diego was not welcome at the Volkswagen Arena, but Ribas decided to stay, this time around. Magath placed Diego into the starting XI for the opening day fixture against Stuttgart, but Magath would be the one departing the Volkswagen Arena 7 games later. The Brazilian duly seemed much happier, scoring and assisting in the first game since Magath’s dismissal against Fortuna Dusseldorf, and was quoted in WAZ:

“Mr Lorenz (The interim coach at the time) prepares each player intelligently and with respect”. He wasn’t too heart-broken with Magath’s departure, clearly. 

Dieter Hecking joined the club on the 22 December 2012 and finally Ribas had found a manager at Wolfsburg that appreciated him and managed him well. There was to be no more petty arguments over who takes a penalty, or childish tantrums if not selected in the first XI. His time at Atleti well and truly matured and vastly improved Diego as a player, something Hecking was taking advantage of. He became VfL’s main man: The player the fans would look to, to inspire a comeback or victory. When he plays at the top of his capabilities, he dictates the play on the pitch, and comes up with a deceitful clever pass or a through ball. Truly a magnificent player when managed correctly, just like Simeone and Hecking did. He ended the season with ten goals and seven assists to his name; with sixty-six chances created in thirty-two Bundesliga games, an average pass length of nineteen metres with a success rate of 84% (Stats via Squawka).

However, this season, it seemed apparent Diego yearned a return to Atletico. Who could blame him? A return to the place where his confidence and play grew beyond measure after a regrettable spell at VfL originally, albeit behaviour issues hampering his enjoyment and success. A chance to play in the Champions League again sooner than expected, to fight for a league title, or to experience playing with tremendous talents like Arda Turan and Diego Costa once more. He had proved himself at Wolfsburg to the fans and the club, capturing the heart of both. Ribas’ contract ran out in the summer of this year regardless, but on the final day of the January transfer window, Atleti and Diego announced a reunion between the two. A loan until the end of the season, when he would be a costless agent, with the thinking Madrid will sign the playmaker as soon as possible before he escapes from their grip again. A player who will be not just a miss for Wolfsburg, but one for the Bundesliga as a whole too.

Finally, a farewell from the man himself, via an Instagram post:

“Thank you Germany, thanks to the German people and Vfl Wolfsburg. Thanks for everything you gave me! Surely I have become a happier and stronger person to face the new challenges, I will take you forever in my heart! It was a pleasure to learn and live all these years with you, I say goodbye with certainty that, with all I had to do, it was done to match all the affection of the fans. Wish you well and that you are happy, as you did with me all these years! Thanks for everything!”