Atlético is beginning to discover Rodrigo de Paul from the Argentine team. A midfielder from work, struggle and recovery, but also with a lot of quality in the distribution of the game. The footballer who went to find Udinese after his great last seasons and who exploded with a brilliant America’s Cup, culminating in a spectacular final against Brazil where he was the best player of the match and assisted Di María with the title goal.
If you have to resort to an occasion that represents De Paul in the best possible way, you only have to go to 28th minute of the match against Liverpool. The Argentine goes to the crash, he comes out the winner in the melee, raises his head and puts a perfect ball at the right moment to leave Griezmann hand in hand against Alisson, where the goalkeeper was great with his body and avoided the French goal, an occasion that at that time could lead to a draw that he got right after. At the beginning of the second half, De Paul again showed his quality on a wall with Carrasco finished with an inside pass that also left the Belgian before the goalkeeper. The Brazilian again emerged victorious avoiding what would have meant 3-2 very shortly before the expulsion of Griezmann.
From that red, Atlético had to retreat before the numerical inferiority when they had been putting the English colossus on the ropes for several minutes. But De Paul also adapts perfectly to that role, winning 71.4% of the seven hand-to-hand duels he underwent against rivals and recovering five balls.. A statistic in the steals where Lemar, with seven, was the best of the match matched with Felipe, Henderson and Keita and once again demonstrated his evolution also on the defensive side.
With Llorente’s injury, who has relapsed from his physical problems After rushing his options to play against Liverpool, De Paul’s presence grows in the center of the field. The Argentine is improving his performance match by match, becoming more comfortable in Simeone’s scheme and finding his ideal position outlined to the right and sharing a wide area of the field with Koke and Lemar. At 27, De Paul is going through the peak of his career, growing his benefits each year after having converted from a skilled winger to a midfielder capable of moving and managing a champion team.
In qualifying for the World Cup, De Paul is the player from South America with the most accurate passes in the opponent’s field, the most accurate deliveries in the last third and the footballer who has received the most fouls. He is also the second in precious passes, in precise long passes and in key passes.. And now, the best De Paul is also on his way with Atlético, making it clear that he can be a fundamental player and one of the signings of the season.