Bjelica: “Dani Olmo would fit in much better at Atlético than João Félix”

Dani Olmo (22 years old) signed for Leipzig in January after being one of the sensations of the first phase of the Champions League with the Croatian Dinamo Zagreb. Despite sounding for many teams, including Barcelona or Atlético, finally his destination was Germany. Coincidences of fate Rojiblancos and Germans met in the quarterfinals of the maximum continental competition in Lisbon and the Spanish opened the scoring for the Teutons with a head. In the end, the result was 2-1 in favor of the Red Bull club, eliminating Simeone's pupils.

About the non-signing of Olmo by Atlético, someone who knows the player very well: his coach in Croatia, Nemanja Bjelica. The former player of Betis, Albacete and Las Palmas, among others, has given an interview to the medium ‘Sporske Novosti’ in which he talks about Spanish and compares him with the star signing of the colchoneros season: João Félix. Bjelica assures that “Olmo is a first-rate footballer and a guy who achieved everything with work, patience and perseverance, and everyone around him helped him a little along the way: Dinamo, teammates and coaches who led him. It was very strange and unacceptable to me that no Spanish club opted for him. Knowing what qualities it has and that it was going at a price of 20-25 million euros ”.

Regarding the Spanish goal in Lisbon, he believes that “It is a small revenge of his against Atlético, who also thought about him. With this goal he helped his team to reach the semifinals of the Champions League, and I think they are capable of going further ”. When asked why he thinks the rojiblanco club did not want to bet on Olmo, Bjelica affirms that “I don't know why. In some of my analyzes, before Joao Félix arrived at Atlético de Madrid, even when Dani was at Dinamo, he said that Olmo is a much better option for any coach than Joao Félix. Not because the Portuguese is a bad player. No way. He's very good, but it shows how he had to defend at Benfica. However, Olmo plays well on defense too, as well as any other type of football. It is also dangerous in the game in the area and when the opponent closes. Dani can act in midfield and even now tip. There are very few in today's football who are capable of being at a high level as a right wing, left wing, ‘eight’ and ‘ten’, behind the first striker, and even as a center forward ”.

The Balkan coach believes that Atlético and the rest of the Spanish teams underestimated Olmo's quality because he was a stranger. “That they do not recognize him is a big surprise and a disappointment for me regarding Spanish clubs. Come on, until he made his debut with the U21 team, then they did not know him, but then he was European champion with the young team, he played in the A, scored a goal, filled newspaper pages … That after all that a Spanish club did not arrive that paid a maximum of 30 million, I cannot believe it. Above all, when we know that Atlético paid 126 million euros for Joao Félix. This is his little rematch with all of them and another indication that even in Spain not everyone is perfect for selecting and evaluating players”.

It even emphatically assures that Olmo is better than Portuguese. “Dani is better. Plus 90 million cheaper and more acceptable to any coach than Felix, who can only play as a second forward on a team that plays absolutely offensive. Maybe at Benfica or Dinamo at HNL … but Atlético plays counter football, not conceding goals and Olmo would fit much more. And now that Olmo costs 30 million and no one in Spain has given it yet, and Félix 126 … I have seen it all in football, but I have never seen such a great absurdity”.

Finally, think that the Spaniard from Leipzig will be worth much more in the future than they paid for him. “They will have to pay when they failed to recognize it. They underestimated Dinamo, the Croatian league, Dani Olmo as a player and everything he achieved, And it is not a little. Especially the last two years. Let them pay 80 million then they'll appreciate it more“, In addition to repeating that last season”Joao Félix did nothing to justify such a high price”.