Luis Suárez’s injury at the start of Porto-Atlético he changed the step to Simeone, who opted for give entry to Matheus Cunha. The 22-year-old Brazilian has been pushing for weeks and in Portugal he took the opportunity again. Without the Uruguayan, he remains as the maximum reference in attack and seems more than prepared for the challenge. Without going any further, he has the best scoring average in the squad. The Bernabéu, a great stage, is the next challenge for a forward who excites and who adds faithful to the Cunhaism.
And that he did not score in Porto. He only kicked once, but it was the best move of the night. Cunha took advantage of a Koke steal in midfield, led against Pepe and Mbemba, escaped from them with great power and, in the hand-to-hand with Diogo Costa, defined with a spoon that the ex-Madridista saved under the crossbar. The forward brings an energy that the team needs and virtues that no other attacker in the squad possesses. Suárez is the best in the area, but Cunha offers a resource when the team is in a hurry.
Before the Champions League, the ex Hertha enjoyed his first start against Mallorca. He was one of the best in Atlético, He scored a goal and, after his departure from the field, the team worsened and ended up losing the game, from 1-0 to 1-2. Because another reality is that the rojiblancos do better when Cunha is on the pitch. In the stadiums of Spanish and from Getafe entered the game 1-0 and the team won both games. Against him Villarreal and the Real, Atleti fell 1-2 and saved a point. In view of Osasuna he broke in with 0-0 and the duel ended 1-0. On Cádiz jumped 0-2 and scored a goal and gave another. And the aforementioned case of Port, where he entered with 0-0 and came out with 0-1. The numbers support that the Cunha talisman has earned more than spare moments.
Goals and work, the ideal pack
The Brazilian wears three goals in 342 minutes. That is to say, one every 114. Suárez averages a goal every 155 minutes and Griezmann, one every 160. The circumstances of each one are different, but Cunha uncovers himself as an interesting forward. It is not a normal nine either, but its characteristics evoke the best Diego Costa. He likes to run, throw off marks, go to the crash … And another thing that Simeone likes is that he not only proposes solutions in attack, but also works when the team does not have the ball and complicates the opponent’s exit.
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The arrival of Griezmann on the edge of the closing of the market seemed to complicate a lot to Cunha, which remained as the last option of an attack that already had Suárez, João Félix and Correa. And that’s why it was difficult for him to have opportunities, to the point that the only joys he took with the Brazilian team, where it is important for Tite after having won Olympic gold in the summer.
João Félix, Griezmann, Correa…
Now he has gotten into Simeone’s head, who has him in his plans. For the Bernabéu, Cholo has to decide between Griezmann, João Félix, Correa and Cunha. In Porto, the last three started on the bench and the first to enter the game, when Suárez was injured, was the Brazilian, who was loaded with reasons to continue asking for more opportunities. “What it means to be Athletic …”, Cunha himself celebrated in Do Dragao’s dressing room, who already enjoys the great rojiblancas nights.