Atlético faces a decisive month in both LaLiga and the Champions League. Simeone’s team is fourth in the standings and is in Champions League positions, the Madrid club’s first major goal of the season. Finishing fourth is vital for the Wanda Metropolitano entity. Betis leads him by four points, although he has one more game. Barcelona is one point behind and Real Sociedad, two. Atlético must react, otherwise they could end up in the top four in danger.
Barcelona, Getafe, Levante, Osasuna and Celta are Atlético’s rivals in the league championship. Manchester United will be in Champions. And facing these matches, one of the key men at Atlético it must be João Félix. Griezmann will not be against Barcelona and the Portuguese striker was already the best player of the rojiblanco team in December, although it was not enough for his team to win. But João Félix must now confirm his good performance in those games.
In addition, it will be a historic month for the Portuguese. João Félix has played 96 games with Atlético and is four away from becoming a Legend of the rojiblanco club. If nothing abnormal happens, He will complete his hundred games against Osasuna and will be an Atlético Legend. Match 101 can also be very special and different: Manchester United at the Wanda Metropolitano, a match marked in red on the Cholo team’s calendar. The first match will be this Sunday, against Barcelona, at the Camp Nou. In the first leg he made a great match and participated in both goals.
João Félix has always been closely watched by Atlético fans for the high price of his transfer: 127 million. Simeone has had blind faith in him, although he has asked him regularly to bring out all the talent he has inside. And it looks like he’s showing it now. In his three seasons as a rojiblanco, and in those 96 games he has played, he has scored 22 goals and given 12 assists.
In this season has He has played 21 official competition matches and has scored three goals and provided three assists. He has played 1,103 minutes and has experienced a somewhat anomalous campaign. He started without being able to play the first three games due to the ankle operation he underwent in the summer. Then he missed two games (Getafe and Alavés) due to his expulsion against Athletic; He later suffered a muscle injury and was also unable to play against Osasuna, Milan and Cádiz. And finally he tested positive and was not against Rayo Vallecano. A quite complicated campaign for the Portuguese.
Atlético, for its part, has always shown confidence in the player’s performance. The Madrid club said no to any proposal that came from outside, aware that the best of João Félix must be yet to come. With a contract until 2026, and with a market value of 60 million, the striker is a vital piece for Simeone’s team. In its showcases is LaLiga 2021-22, a title that, for example, Paulo Futre, the great Portuguese legend of Atlético, could not have had. Simeone, the coaching staff, the fans and his teammates expect the best from João Félix. This is a historic month for him.