Lodi puts quality in its minutes

Simeone has always had a maxim at Atlético, “We value the quality of minutes, not the quantity.” The Argentine coach has explained time and again that, although “players always want to play everything,” he focuses on their contribution to the opportunities they have. Y Renan Lodi is showing at this end of the course that he has known how to wait for his moments to try to take advantage of them.

Against Osasuna he scored a fantastic goal to start the comeback and end up getting three gold points in the fight for LaLiga. The Brazilian paved the way with a powerful left foot toe-to-toe after a great assist from João Félix and gave Atlético arguments to believe in the 81st minute in a match that had become very complicated with Budimir's goal and that it could lead to Atlético losing the lead in the absence of a match day to go. Suárez culminated the comeback in 88' And if Atlético win at Zorrilla or match what Real Madrid does against Villarreal, they will be champion.

Lodi had replaced Hermoso in the 65th minute to try to give impetus to the left wing and add arguments in attack against a very close defense of Osasuna and who was getting rid of Atlético's goals despite the constant rojiblancas chances. However, it was the rojillos who went ahead on the scoreboard in a play where Lodi closed the center excessively from the band and saw how Budimir prevailed with his head and with the collaboration of the VAR he broke the tie practically in the first arrival of Osasuna. An error in the defensive concept that Lodi learned from, leading in the last moments of head a dangerous center of Rubén García when the tables had already turned completely.

Since that Osasuna goal, Lodi did not stop raising the band and opening the field, finding in João Félix a partner to look for his unchecks. He pressed the rival behind with speed, diagonals and achieved a vital goal for the title. In this second round, Lodi has been gaining prominence after the contribution of Carrasco as a lane in defense of three centrals and the versatility of Hermoso they would have left him without a gap for much of the course. But he has not given up. He regained ownership at Sánchez Pizjuán and, although he was the one sacrificed by Simeone at 34 minutes after Sevilla was passing over them, he would repeat in the eleven against Eibar, Huesca and Athletic with a high level, mainly in the first two games at home.

In a League where every detail counts, having all the players plugged in is essential, and Lodi is doing his part to be helpful when Simeone sees fit. He made his debut in the League at the time of greatest need, he showed personality by hitting the goal instead of looking for Suárez and he did it with an unappealable shot and that is already one of the goals of the competition. At 23, he ended up in tears after having put his grain of sand in an epic comeback that keeps Atlético at the gates of the title. Quality of minutes in a League that everyone wants to win and in which Lodi has left his mark despite having much less participation than last season.