For the first time since March the ball rolls on the grass of Cerro del Espino and 22 men dispute it. At once. For the first time Simeone can test like this, without separations of fields or numbers, in a match, with his head in Bilbao. And with the losses of João Félix (who returned to exercising on the grass at a good pace and with the ball for the second consecutive day) and Correa (muscle injury) in his tests he is glimpsed an unprecedented attack partner. Lemar with Costa. A door to the redemption of the French. If you cross it.
Atletico Madrid trainingNelson Vivas, Mono Burgos and Simeone, in the Atlético session.
ATLETICO MADRID HANDOUT (EFE)
Because his name is still a runrún chewed by the hobby. The Lemar of Monaco two years after paying 70 million for Madrid did not happen. As if his shirt weighed him, numbed his muscles, blocked his head. Although it is no longer the most expensive signing (since 2019 it is João, 127 million), despite the confidence of Cholo. Its ownership in Bilbao at the restart of LaLiga (Sunday 14, 1:00 p.m.) would be the first of 2020 in this competition (Only against Liverpool, in the first leg it had been; and with a good game, by the way).
Cholo has been insisting on the idea for two days, on the training tests. Lemar Costa partner, even though Morata is available. Oblak; Trippier, Savic, Giménez, Lodi; Koke, Llorente, Thomas, Saúl; Lemar and Costa. Those were their eleven again both on Monday and in the game this morning. It would be the first of the season that Cholo played without João Félix, Correa and Morata. At least one of the three was always on the grass. But the next LaLiga is subject to many conditions, beyond the end in June and July and not April and May, of the coronavirus and the absence of the public. In the matches there will be five changes. That unpublished Costa-Lemar can become a habit in the eyes.
In eleven in 11 games out of 35 possible
30% is Lemar's ownership percentage this season, in 11 games out of 35 possible. At first followed (Getafe, Leganés, Eibar, Real Sociedad, Juventus), then sprinkled (Athletic, Alavés, Sevilla, a Guadiana, Betis) to almost disappear (twice in the last thirteen). A carbon copy of his path at Atlético. Tear of San Lorenzo. Those stars that as soon as they dazzle in the sky as they leave, only flashes.
That distant friendly in Cagliari. The European Super Cup in Tallinn against Madrid, like from another galaxy. The interest of so many clubs for the next market, Lyon, Inter or United, in starting from Atlético, in case that splendor of Monaco returned. He has eleven games ahead to demonstrate that it was not only a dream of a summer that is far away, so unattainable already. Griezmann exploded in San Mamés.