Atlético leaves fifth to the Christmas break, out of the Champions League positions, the great goal of the Madrid club. And among the negative news that the match against Granada left behind, there is one that makes Atlético see the future with hope: the good meeting of João Felix. The Portuguese had a fantastic game, although his team could not take even a point. But the month of December leaves the feeling that João Félix can offer a great performance in the second part of the season.
The forward did not play in Porto. He was a substitute and then did not participate in the Atletico victory against the Portuguese team. Against Real Madrid he was a substitute. He came out in the second half and gave the team another air. Atlético’s best minutes were with the Portuguese on the field. On the last play he finished off on goal, but the ball hit Courtois in the face, decisive for the Madrid victory. Against Sevilla the situation was repeated. He was a substitute and left after the break. Atlético had a very good second period, but an error in a corner kick cost them the game. João Félix shot the crossbar in the last action of the game. That shot could be 2-2.
Against Granada he started. He scored a great goal as soon as he started, in individual play, and was in permanent contact with the ball. He made another goal, headed, annulled in an incomprehensible way by Hernández Hernández, finished off the post in the play before the 2-1 and served several balls that could not be used by his teammates.
João Félix left the pitch lamenting Atlético’s bad luck, but happy with his game. Simeone asks him regularly and he already has it. Cholo asks him not only to make a couple of plays per game and now he has shown himself as a regular footballer, looking for the ball, acquiring responsibilities and without hiding. He is the João Félix that his coach wants.
The dilemma will be to know what Cholo does for when Griezmann returns. The Frenchman will be ready for the first of the year and they are two decisive footballers. Luis Suárez is not at a good level and it would not be strange to see the Portuguese and the French together at the beginning in some games. Against Liverpool, at the Wanda Metropolitano, they played like this and performed very well.
João Félix’s performance came at a time when it was also the focus of news due to the possibility that he could leave in December. Atlético does not contemplate that option and it does consider that the attacker is a decisive player in LaLiga and in the Champions League. In January the Spanish Super Cup is played and Atlético will begin their participation in the Copa del Rey. Titles are starting to be played and João Félix is up to the challenge.