36 days later, little has changed in Saul's life, although everything around him is different. England and not Spain, London and not Madrid. The weather, the everlasting rain. Tuchel and not Cholo. Chelsea and not Atlético, of which he was a watchword, fourth captain and quarry, although in the last two years things had not turned out as he was used to, as before, when season by season he was the footballer with the most minutes with Cholo (the 9th most used field in 20-21, with 2,673 ', he did not get off the Top-3 with more minutes since 16-17, when, with 4,013, was the 7th).
He left at the last moment of the market, in the ‘photo finish’, yielded a year to Chelsea where he hoped to find that Saúl who was no longer seen by the Metropolitan, the Saúl of the Chilean against Madrid, the stride against Bayern, the Saúl of the goals on the big nights. His last words in Madrid, in an interview with the ‘streamer’ Ibai Llanos, explained the reason for his departure. “I asked to train in my position and Cholo and Miguel Ángel (Gil) thought it best for me to leave.” A striking phrase, which flew over his signing of contract with Chelsea: Tuchel promised that Saúl would train and play in his place, no trips to the side or to the defense in the middle of the games, as with the Cholo, who had made the versatility of the Elche his greatest virtue.
Bad debut … and from bad to worse
In the center of the field he made his debut and played eleven days after his landing in London, in the Premier League, against Aston Villa. He made his debut and played … to make water, with two turnovers of his own that can become bombs for his own team and gifts for the rival. Tuchel sat him down at 45 '. He has not played in the league again or made his debut in the Champions League. He only had minutes in the third round of the EFL Cup (76 ') against Aston Villa as well. Because Saúl in London will train in his place, but he does not play. The Atlético-Chelsea comparison is dramatic: before leaving at Atleti he played 74% of the possible minutes (67% from the starting eleven) which at Chelsea has dropped to 13% (25% in the eleven).
The drone surrounds him, like the rain, as he tries to adapt to the new league, language, teammates, costumes … “He was very, very close to starting against Southampton (a game in which neither Kanté nor Jorginho played, Saúl's competition in the center of the field), but in the end I decided against him. I thought it would be unfair to put him against an opponent who presses so high in midfield and say OK, now it shows that your adaptation has gone further ”, his coach justified his substitution, his lack of minutes in the last game. “The reality is that there were eight players I did not trust to make headlines. It's a reality and I can't hide it”He added. Neither did his words after the rojiblanco's failed debut on loan to Aston Villa. “He has had quite a few major mistakes. He fought for turnovers and created some half chances, chances for Aston Villa and I thought it was better to change it, “he said. At the moment, they are Saúl's only minutes in the Premier. A Saul who keeps looking for his place. And, for now, cold away from Cholo. Like so many others.