Joao Félix passes the plebiscite

Two days after the winter market opened, the match against Elche was considered more like a farewell for

than a referendum.

So unstable is his relationship with Atlético de Madrid that in recent days there has been more talk about how he could leave than how much he could still contribute to the team.

Simeone recalled it at a press conference and the Portuguese reiterated it on the field, decisive in a victory that calmed the waters and returned the rojiblancos to Champions League positions (2-0).

It was just two touches.

The first, with the spur to touch it and leave.

The Portuguese, who had already put half a goal into

Morata

from behind

and fled to the small area while the play continued on the right side.

That's where

arrived , who focused on the area looking for him.

The defense cut off the delivery, but the rebound fell at the feet of Griezmann, who put it in the goal mouth for Joao to push it into the half-empty goal.

For the third day in a row, Joao Félix sees the goal in the League, something that he had not achieved in his four years as a rojiblanco.

Paradoxically in its perhaps most delicate moment.

And he would still have time to scare

with a long shot before leaving with a strong blow to the ankle and applause from the Metropolitan.

If the game was a referendum on the continuity of the Portuguese 7, the rojiblanco public gave their approval.

neighborhoods, fresh air

This uncertain Atlético, who cannot remember who he was and even less define who he wants to be, welcomes irruptions like that of

.

The boy had already played loose moments against Cádiz and Porto, but it was his performance in the Cup that convinced Simeone to make a hole for him.

In his debut at the Metropolitano and as a starter, the youth squad player did not stop being himself: a player who dares and clarifies, two things that the team does not have in excess of.

Barrios was one of the few who altered the pulse of a first part pulling flat.

The pressure of Elche deactivated

and left Atlético without a central piece in the creation.

He made you more predictable.

Not because the Frenchman is creative, but because the ball took longer to reach those who are.

To Barrios, to Griezmann, to Joao Félix.

Every time one of them got together, more things happened.

The first chance for Atlético de Madrid in the game, which was double, had the Frenchman and the Portuguese as protagonists.

had had

it in one of the few approaches from Elche, a good combination that ended in a bad shot from the front.

Harmless baggage for

, who after a month and a half in office finally made his debut as a green-and-green coach.

The Soriano is the third coach of the team this season, and the fifth to sit on the bench, and although he has had these forty days of grace, he still has work ahead of him to awaken a team that has not known victory in 15 games.

three expelled

In the absence of the Kondogbia route, Hermoso assumed the responsibility of advancing the ball.

If only for changing the script.

In one of those long balls, the central defender left Morata alone, but the shot went wide.

The next one came out so sharp that Verdú knocked down the Madrid striker so that he would not stand alone against Badía.

When the VAR notified the referee, the central defender knew that he had been sent off.

The action came so close to the break that we had to wait for the second half for the consequences to be seen.

Suddenly, spaces appeared that did not exist, or that were paid for at the price of gold.

And from a combination between Barrios, Joao Félix and Griezmann the first clear chance of scoring was born.

The Portuguese, with a very slight touch from outside, left the Frenchman alone, but his first shot, coming from the second line, went high.

It was the first notice.

There was no second.

Not even the expulsion of Hermoso, who saw two yellow cards in three minutes, changed the direction of the game, which was pointing towards the Elche goal.

With both teams reduced to ten men, came Joao Félix's goal and Morata's sentence.

An finally quiet victory that places Atlético de Madrid third and may change the future of the Portuguese as a rojiblanco.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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