Hermoso becomes a giant and sends signals to Luis Enrique

Mario Hermoso is indispensable in this AtléticoIt does not matter if Simeone opts for a defense of four or five. The center-back is one of the rojiblancos whose jump from last season to this one is more evident, both in minutes played and in performance, and no one takes him out of the eleven. In San Sebastián, he also contributed a decisive header goal, like the one he got in Salzburg. Solid in defense, dangerous in attack and remarkable in the exit of the ball, Hermoso also knocks on the doors of the National Team.

The defender has become strong in this system with three centrals, along with Giménez (or Felipe now) and Savic. Hermoso provides a great ball output, both in driving and with long deliveries. His diagonal passes to Trippier have sped up many plays. At the Reale Arena, for example, it was the second rojiblanco who gave the most good passes (36), after Koke (43). Against Elche, in a game with more possession, performed 88 (92% correct), the one with the most, 33 of them in rival field.

With the ball he stands out and as a defense he is being key in the rojiblanco wall. On Tuesday he saw them with Portu, whom he annulled. “From the outside it seems easy to leave a clean sheet …”, commented after the game the central defender, who each time he gets on better with Carrasco, his companion on the left side. In addition, the Belgian has been his best partner in attack, since has given him the two assists of his goals, the 0-1 of the last game and the one of Salzburg, also of head.

“We have talked a lot with Mario. Each one takes his time to interpret what we want,” Simeone has commented on occasions. In fact, Hermoso was one of the footballers who in summer the continuity was not entirely clear in the team. He came from a season in which he was fourth in the center (and as a second left back he did not work either) and only the injuries of Giménez and Savic gave him the title. In autumn he played almost everything with Felipe, as they were both healthy centrals. Around Christmas he almost disappeared: 350 minutes in the League and 120 in the Cup until August.

And the doubts came for this season. Real Sociedad wanted it, but finally Hermoso stayed, ready to fight and convince Cholo and the fans. And it is more than succeeding. So far this year takes 1,285 minutes, the seventh longest of the staff, going from less to more, because at the beginning he was not a starter either. Its boom, on the other hand, Has eclipsed Lodi one of the most reliable in the last section of the past year.

A vacancy in the National Team

With all this, undisputed in the leader, Hermoso is running again to go to the Selection. His good season at Espanyol (18-19) got him into Luis Enrique's plans and then Robert Moreno had him as well. In total, he played five games in 2019 and consolidated himself as the first option to be Ramos' partner. But his arrival at Atleti, where it was difficult for him to find his place, took him away. Now the script has changed again and, in addition, the central position is not a closed position in Spain. Sergio Ramos does not admit discussion, Pau has become strong and Eric García likes the coach as an option for the present and the future, but from there it is intuited a fourth free place at stake. Hermoso, one of the most fit defenders of the First Division, raises his hand with the Euro Cup on the horizon.