Savic, the warrior's rest

Stefan Savic joins Jan Oblak and kicks off a well-deserved vacation. Atlético's central defender accompanied the Montenegro team last night, without having minutes in the friendly against Israel, and ends the 2020-21 season, since their national team it has not obtained the pass to the Eurocopa.

The 30-year-old will enjoy an important break until July 11, when he is summoned by the Atlético coaching staff to start the preseason. A little over a month recharging the batteries after the best season of his career. Savic has been the defensive pillar of an Atleti league champion and became an indisputable for Simeone whenever he has been available. The Montenegrin has participated in 33 league matches, losing three due to the accumulation of cards (he ended up with 15 yellow cards), including the last match against Valladolid and leaving a single game out by technical decision, in Huesca on the second match day. Among all the competitions, Savic reached 3,744 minutes, the Atlético outfield player with the most participation in this historic season, Only surpassed by an Oblak (4,140) who also finished his commitments with the Slovenian national team on Friday.

Savic has been a very important piece in this new defensive system, adapting perfectly to a greater responsibility in the exit of the ball and in the retreat with many meters behind him. If he had always stood out for his forcefulness and security in the melee and in the air game, this course has added spectacular positional intelligence as Trippier's bodyguard in the rear with three centrals, outlined to the right and has evolved notably with the ball at the feet, giving a clean start to a team that has sought to attack from possession and starting the plays from behind.

A player probably with less poster than he deserves, but that he has surely been the best central defender in LaLiga this 2020-21 season. Yes Gimenez has suffered many physical problems that have prevented him from having continuity, Philip the course started badly until he was recovering sensations and Handsome he has been alternating the position as center-back outlined on the left with the side, with a great foot at the start, but less responsibilities in the section of closing the back Savic has been outstanding from start to finish.

Virtually no mistakes throughout the season, combining the strength that is always characteristic in center-back with the sophistication in the facets of the game that Simeone has tried to promote the most this season. Increasingly important also in the Atlético dressing room, where he is already one of the most authoritative voices despite not being among the four captains, Savic will be one of the few rojiblancos champions with a long and relaxed vacation. A necessary and hard-earned respite from one of the great protagonists of the mattress title before returning to work to defend the championship.