“El Cholo is a legend, and legends do not touch”

Paulo Futre, myth of Atlético de Madrid and Porto, lives with mixed feelings the days before the duel between the two great teams of his life. One of the two will be out of the Champions League. And maybe from the Europa League, depending on what another of his exes does, the Milan, before him Liverpool. The Portuguese responds to Mundo Deportivo’s call and is sincere about his emotions in the face of the Do Dragao appointment, where he will not finally go despite the fact that his initial idea was to be there. He is looking forward to the game over. He trusts the recovery of Atlético and that of his compatriot Joao Felix. But most of all, trust Simeone, who qualifies as a legend. “And the legends do not touch.”

How you saw the defeat against Mallorca

“Nobody expected it, but that’s how football is. It’s going through streaks, I think Atleti have to enter a good cycle of victories to regain the confidence they need, they are being a very irregular team ”.

What is happening to Atlético?

“I think that behind, if there is something to highlight, it is the goals that we are receiving. It is not normal, because of how we have always defended since Cholo is here. We receive easy goals, it is not normal. Strange things are happening behind. I think that is the key. The team has not stopped defending well from one day to the next, it will once again be the wall that it has been. When Atleti scored, he did not suffer. But this year they draw, they come back … Like Valencia, like against Mallorca … At home with a 1-0 it was impossible for it to happen ”.

Do you see it possible to fight for LaLiga?

“The Spanish League is very competitive. There is a lot of League left. It is important to have a good run with several consecutive victories, because Madrid will lose points ”.

“When we lose, we are all coaches and we criticize, but the next day … We have to be eternally grateful to Cholo”

How do you see Cholo?

“El Cholo is a myth, a legend, and legends do not touch. Cholo will be at Atleti until he wants. It is my opinion. There are good and bad games, streaks, but Cholo… I think the vast majority of the colchoneros think that way. When we lose, we are all coaches and we criticize, but the next day… We have to be eternally grateful to Cholo ”.

And Joao, what is wrong with him?

“Last year had four excellent months, from exhaustion to November. The team won, he played very well … Then he suffered the injury and entered into that irregularity in the first year. And this year after the game with Barça, I thought I was going to start with everything, but it was not like that. However, if you are not unlucky with the injuries, you can come back. I hope it is the other way around that last year, that from January to May, which is the moment of truth, it is again at an excellent level and is regular, without injuries, without silly expulsions like that one ”.

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Competition up this year is high …

“There is a tremendous quality. That is why rotations can be made. This team at the moment it enters the correct speed, without serious failures, can win 15 games in a row won ”.

“Luis Suárez is not a machine, he is 34 years old, it is normal that he begins to play less”

There is already a debate with Suárez and his ownership. What do you think?

“Luis cannot play every game. He is 34 years old. And above it has to rotate, there is no other. He is not a machine, he is 34 years old, it is normal that he begins to play less. And above there is quality ”.

Let’s go with Do Dragao… A final and for you, a very special match

“No one could expect Atleti to be last in their group at this point. It will be a tremendous game for me, because one will be left out. Even outside the Europa League if Milan win. It’s going to be tough. I’m going to be sad, and two or three hours later I’ll be happy. “

The million dollar question. Who is Paulo Futre with?

“They are two clubs with which I have an unusual feeling and that is why I do not go to the game. I don’t know how to react after the game. It is very difficult for me, there will be sad people, others happy … How do I do it? Better at home ”.

Where do you think the keys to the game will be?

“Porto in recent years fails very little at home, I think only with Liverpool twice and Krasnodar. At home he has character, he is very intense, he fights to the end… It is not easy for any team to win in Porto. And Atleti is risking their lives, and with the slightest mistake … Look at Juventus last year, they entered asleep, and Porto does not forgive. The character of Sergio (Conceicao) and that of his teams is very similar to Simeone and Atleti ”.

It does not work for me to give a result, it does not work for me. I am looking forward to the end of the game as soon as possible “

Regarding this, has Atlético lost some of that intensity?

“I don’t know, I see the problems behind. Even Oblak received a rare goal last week. I see strange things, which are not normal. How he defends himself, the spaces there are… Look at the penalty that Hermoso took against Liverpool. They are not normal things, we have mistakes… That’s why I think it will happen ”.

With your head, what result do you see as most possible?

“Ufff. It is a game with few goals. I don’t know what will happen. 1-2, 2-1, 1-1… Milan also plays, which has nothing to do with how I feel for Atleti and Porto, but I can’t spit on the plate they fed me either. It does not work for me to give a result, it does not work for me. I’m looking forward to the game over as soon as possible ”.

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