Lodi is already in Brazil to work with his team and with the high that conquering has given him La Liga with Atlético. The 23-year-old side has not had an easy season with Simeone, but he is willing to be important with the Canarinha, now that he has qualifying matches for the World Cup and the Copa América. Since the concentration, he has given an interview to Globoesporte where he reveals how he has felt in recent months at Atleti, with some curious anecdote.
Less prominence: “What I have experienced this year with Simeone I think has made me stronger. The first year I came in and played everything you can imagine. The second, no. And the opposite is often the case. But he had told me about it. 'Look, you're not playing much, but don't worry. We really like you here. ' He has always told me that I am a very important player, It was a great experience. It was important mentally ”.
Selection: “I talked about it a lot with my girlfriend:” Will I be for the World Cup, for the America's Cup? If you do a good job at the club, you will make it to the national team, but I was very worried about that. “
Revulsive: “I have never experienced this. Enter with two or five minutes to go. Of course it seemed strange to me. Then I understood: “He's going to give me two minutes, so I'll eat the ball.” And later There was a game against Salzburg, I entered with 50 seconds to go, but I did it euphoric, I managed to steal the ball twice, I passed it forward. The next day he called me and said: 'I want you to have that attitude, to enter every game like this.' I carry it with me.
Increase: “I am in the process of evolution. The offensive part is natural for me. In the defensive aspect, before I spoke more about the position of the body, knowing how to defend, but this year I think I have improved in one-on-one, in duels, in the counterattack … It was rather in that sense that I improved. From knowing how to read the game I also learned “.
Luis Suarez: “In the field, he's a boring guy (laughs). Against Osasuna I scored 1-1, and he was alone in the area. The next day he called me: 'Look, you can see this play here, if you miss this goal I'll kill you because I was alone.' He's a very intense guy, like Simeone. He wants the ball all the time. But he's another guy I'm learning a lot from both on and off the field. He is always doing something fun. When we were about to lift the title, he kicked me. It is always like this. He's a great guy, always in a good mood ”.
Rematch with Barça: “I felt it, yes. As soon as he arrived, in his first training sessions with Atlético you could tell how sad he was. They said that he could no longer play at a high level, that he could not play 90 minutes, that he was too old to play for Barça, I don't know what. Look what he's done, 21 goals. He's a phenomenal guy. This title was to say: 'Barcelona, I'm here'.
Manchester City: “I even spoke to my agent to see if it was true, especially since we were in the final stretch of the competition. Simeone would go mad, in his own way. My agent told me it wasn't true. I have four more years of contract there and I am also happy. Everybody loves me in that club and I love them too. That was more of a rumor. “
Olympic Games: “I remember Neymar's penalty in Maracana. I want to be part of that and bring us the gold. This whole event, with Bolt and so many people with history, and bringing the gold to Brazil would be very big. Your name goes down in history. I have not spoken with Simeone yet. I spoke with the director that I want to compete. He explained to me that I am going to miss games, the season begins on August 15, but I told him that I am going to keep pace with the game, I am going to arrive whole. I don't know what will happen, but that's what I want. It will be decided after the Copa América ”.