Atlético.A mentor for Joao Félix after Costa's departure
On the last European eve of caliber for Atlético,
Jan Oblak
accompanied Diego Pablo Simeone in the bowels of the José Alvalade stadium.
It was the afternoon before the quarter-final match against Leipzig, in the final eight in Lisbon.
A year ago, at Anfield, as an exception, it was
Thomas Partey
who was going over some of the details of the last great European night.
The usual thing in the Simeone era has been for
Koke
,
Godín
,
Gabi
or one of the captains to escort their coach.
Joao Félix
appeared in the press room at Cerro del Espino de Majadahonda, where the rojiblancos did their last training session before taking on Chelsea
.
His first great staging, on the way to the most important game (for now) of the season.
At 21 years old, with some football debates about his person, and some others about his gestures (as in Villarreal), he stood in front of the screen without wrinkling.
"I do not know if I lack the will, but without the will, the talent does not arrive. Many talented players did not arrive. I try to put my quality to be able to arrive," acknowledged the Portuguese, who, except for an unforeseen last minute, will be one of the 11 players which will start at
Stamford Bridge
, as confirmed by Simeone.
At his side, Simeone listened attentively and observed every gesture of his star.
"It is not necessary to add more words to the personality that he demonstrated speaking," his coach praised him, already without him in the room.
"I have no doubt that the explanation that Joao gave is fantastic," added the Argentine, referring to his questioned defensive skills.
"Since I've been at Benfica and in the national team, I have to defend too. And that's what I'm going to do," Joao had previously responded about that lack of enthusiasm when it came to showing his nails to the contrary.
Joao did not hide who, in his own way, clarified some details of recent weeks, such as his controversial celebration in Villarreal.
Sometimes even fighting back.
"What I did after the goal at Villarreal was for
Lodi
. But you (the press) really like to talk about things you don't know and that's why the controversy was generated," he replied with a serious gesture.
According to Joao, everything was conceived before the game.
Lodi, his best friend in the locker room, stung him because he hadn't scored for a long time.
His final lash led to that curious celebration: "Shut up your fucking mouth, caralho!"
"A nice day for Suárez to break the streak"
Despite the fact that in the first leg, on the icy night in Bucharest, Joao was far from his best version, the melody of the Champions League transforms him.
In that European showcase, he has left his best brushstrokes of the season.
His three goals, with a decisive double against Salzburg, in the Metropolitano, have allowed Atlético to find themselves in the fight to reach the quarterfinals.
"I'm happy, my family is fine, I'm fine here at the club. We all go through not so good phases. I'm sure I'll go through," he added.
"All the best footballers have to work collectively. Joao has not stopped trying. We want him to grow in every way and to be able to reach the place where he seeks to reach, it is necessary to be complete," Simeone continued about the Portuguese.
He also planned the bad streak that haunts
Luis Suárez
in Europe every time he plays as a visitor.
Namely: he hasn't scored an away goal since 2015, at the Olympic in Rome.
A good part of Atlético's fate depends on his success, on breaking that bad luck, for a guy as superstitious as him.
"Tomorrow is going to be a nice day to break that streak," said Simeone, before getting on the plane to London.
The coronavirus forced him to break his habits of speaking at the destination.
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