Joao Félix loves Red Bull (and other reasons to trust Atlético)

• Interview.Jonatan Soriano, Salzburg legend: "They never get tired"

For 15 years, Red Bull has fed every pore of the Salzburg soccer team.

, owner of the famous energy drink company, bought the club in 2005 and its mark can be seen in every corner of the modern sports complex on which the entity is articulated.

And that when the Champions League arrives, due to UEFA demands, both the bulls and any allusion to the brand disappear.

In fact, the Red Bull Arena today will be the Salzburg Stadium.

On that icy grass, fully immersed in the harsh Austrian winter, with a temperature of zero degrees and, probably (at least that is what the forecasts say), Atlético will play its pass to the knockout stages of the Champions League under the snow.

The lack of aim, or forcefulness, as

repeats

, has led them to an unwanted final.

"We deserved to win one more game in this Champions League, but that's how football is," said the Argentine yesterday in the stadium's press room.

Later, under many layers, the rojiblancos players fulfilled their first and last contact with the venue, away from the center and only an hour and a half from Munich.

Again, the fate of Atlético, face to face with another Red Bull product.

In August, on the green of José Alvalade in Lisbon,

, Salzburg's older brother, modeled on the energy style since its acquisition in 2009, separated him from the semifinals of the Champions League.

That night,

stood out above the rest.

He did it in his native country, where he entered from the bench, provoked and scored a penalty and revived the team.

One point is enough

The Portuguese would also shine at the end of October, against Salzburg, with his first double in the Champions League, rescuing his team at the last minute from a fatal stumble to their fate (3-2).

Since that night, the Portuguese, who usually pulls a can of Austrian drinks when waiting his turn in the stands, has scored five goals.

The best way to remove the thorn from that

, in 2017, where Benfica fell precisely to the Austrian team.

His goals, despite the lack of punch in Europe, have served to step on Austria knowing that one point is enough.

It is not the first time that Simeone and his troops have been forced to a tight end of the Champions League group stage.

Three years ago, he landed in London clinging to a thread of life, which ended up breaking between

and Rome.

In that 2017 they did not depend on themselves and ended up falling to the Europa League.

A year later, he reached the last chapter in

with the ticket already stamped, but with the first seat in the air.

The story ended with a scoreless draw that condemned them to a hard cross, which ended up being lethal, with

Juventus

.

This 2020, the last head-to-head duel at the enemy's home ended with that memorable victory at Anfield (2-3), against then-champion

.

It was the last great game that is remembered with the public in the stands.

30 million hole

In the offices of the rojiblanca entity nobody wants to mention what would happen if today the team does not get anything clear from Salzburg.

The economic situation is already complicated by the collateral damage of the pandemic.

In fact, there was a critical moment back in June, just before football returned, with the qualification for this Champions quite cloudy.

The fact is that a mistake tonight would mean a hole of

(the eighth are worth 9.5) compared to the previous season, which lasted until the quarterfinals.

A difference that would probably have to be corrected with a sale in the next winter market.

In any case, they are only hypotheses.

The certainty is that tonight the solid leader of the League will face the second most thrashed team in the Champions League (15 goals conceded), only surpassed by

(16).

That the Austrians have only added one victory in their last four matches in the local competition (two losses and one draw) and are no longer leaders.

And, also, that an exchange of blows, as seen in the Metropolitan, the rojiblancos have the upper hand.

For this,

returns to Europe

, who wants to end the weight that has accompanied him since September 2015, when he scored his last goal away from home in Rome.

23 games without scoring are too much for anyone, but much more for a forward like the Uruguayan.

Between him and Joao Félix they must find the solution as soon as possible.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• sports

• football

• Joao Felix

• Luis Suarez

• Cristiano Ronaldo

• Atlético de Madrid

• Champions League

• Diego Simeone

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