Since the
Atlético de Madrid sign to Joao Felix of the Benfica, the spotlights of world football have been placed on him. It is not for less. His record transfer, 127 million euros, anticipated that the player was not just one more, he was one of those talents that are seen every so often in the world of football. A rare diamond of extreme beauty. For this reason, his first season was a continuous test in which he was scored every time he did not touch the excellence.
Even corseted in soccer Athletic of that season, the Portuguese left details of that potential that was about to explode. A situation that has completely changed in this course, with a rojiblanco team more unbridled in attack. A circumstance that has made the Portuguese talent emerge, which as happened in the match of Munich, he turned the team back on his back. In Germany he scored but the goal was annulled. In Madrid They could not do it and the Portuguese scored again to sign surprising numbers.
It is verified that Joao Felix is right now the leader of this Atlético de Madrid even though he doesn't want to carry that backpack. The player has scored seven goals in his last seven starts, with the Athletic between all competitions. To understand the quantitative and qualitative leap that he has taken, suffice it to say that it is the same amount as in his previous 29 games starting at Atlético. He has found in this new system, in this new mattress team, the precise freedom to exploit all his talent. He dances between the midfield lines and the rival defense, he rides with the ball glued to his feet to overflow in dazzling counters, he leans on the walls of players like Llorente, Carrasco, Koke or Correa, who want to speak the same soccer language.
Before it started from the right, but it is showing off in the center, being able to fall to either side. He appears from behind to surprise, as in the goal against him Bayern of this Tuesday. It appeared by surprise at the peak of the small area to verify that it forms a pair with Llorente spectacular.
But it also combines aesthetics and effectiveness, with those heels to find partners between the legs of the rivals. In this Tuesday's game he played 87 minutes, he was the author of the only mattress goal, he was the athletic one that finished the most -twice-, the one that generated the most occasions -two- (together with Llorente Y Carrasco), the one who gave the most good back passes, the one who made the most good tackles -two- and the one with the most successful dribbles -two-.
Don't want backpacks
The numbers speak for him. In this grade, eight goals and three assists in 14 games in this season. But he, we already said, does not want lip service, the one who assumes it on the field. “Leader? We all have to be the leader, a bit of a leader in ourselves to elevate this team to win things, “said the player at the end of the clash against Bayern. He denies being one but his football and his numbers speak for him right now and the sensations … The numbers say that he is the top scorer, the second top assistant. The sensations … that commands.