Memories of 'old' Llorente: at Alavés he was the best recuperator

For Marcos Llorente it is always special to visit Mendizorroza, because there he began to emerge as an elite midfielder. For Alavés, it is also pleasant to see the Madrid native at home, who performed so well in their ranks, although this time will receive a footballer who will be difficult to recognize, even more so considering his previous visit, a little over a year ago. Between the Llorente albiazul and the current one many things have changed …

frames played for Alavés in 2016-17, on loan from Real Madrid so that he could start in the First Division after being too small for Castilla. He was then a pure defensive midfielder, who stood out for his physical display just like now, although that season, under Pellegrino, he used it to become the field footballer who recovered the most balls from Primera: 302. Those frequent exhibitions helped the team to reach the Cup final and him, to return with stripes to Madrid.

In 2019 he signed for Atlético, after seeing that in Madrid he was not going to play what he wanted and because of the departure of Rodrigo Hernández to Manchester City. AND In October Llorente appeared in Mendizorroza of rojiblanco, but still with little confidence from Simeone. Even so, that afternoon the rotations opened the door of the eleven for him … but he was substituted at half-time after a bad first half. Llorente's story at Atleti did not look good, although now We already know that everything changed.

He 14 He returns today as a star, but not because of what they enjoyed in Vitoria. There, for example, did not celebrate a goal, but his contribution was brilliant (and his assignment was even requested again). That steal voracious is now one of the great assets of the Atleti attack, and even the Selection. Alavés will be the one who is most surprised by the transformation of Marcos …