The example of Saponjic's smile

Atlético added an important victory in El Sadar (1-3), a result that keeps them in the fight for the lead. The victory against Osasuna left several details, some on the field and some outside of it, which many times also serve to highlight the atmosphere that is breathed in a changing room. “Because they fight like brothers” appears in one of the stanzas of the Atlético anthem. The phrase served yesterday for Atlético's Twitter account to title a snapshot to summarize the victory in Pamplona. Simeone also shared it. In it the Atlético players appear hugging Torreira after their first scorer. Those who were playing and some who were not.

It drew attention to see an unprecedented Saponjic even this season go to celebrate the goal almost as if he had scored it. In fact, he was the third athletic to arrive to hug Torreira. In the photograph, he appears grinning from ear to ear, high-fiving Savic's hand. In a world where, behind the scenes, there is more and more talk about the self and less about us, the case of the Serbian is to take as an example. His constant smile is a lesson for everyone. In today's football, it is difficult to digest collective successes if you do not participate in them, but that does not go with Saponjic. It's not the first time. Already last season, when it was his turn to warm up, he had jumped on his teammates to celebrate the goals, despite his difficult situation in the team. Or even, he has shown a feeling of belonging in the few minutes that he has had with details such as being the first to go to defend a teammate engaged in a tangana with rivals or surrounded by them.

Digging into the locker room, her attitude is not surprising. “He works like a beast”, “he is ready to go out and give everything against whoever it takes”, even heavyweights say of him. But the best thing is that, despite his very secondary role, he neither gives up nor loses his good manners. Others would ruminate on their substitution with a poker face, without a goal from a teammate serving even for a grimace of complicity. Examples we have seen this day, inside and outside of Spain, when a player, for example, just substituted does not flinch when the teammate just entered scores. But Sapa follow his thing. The easy thing would have been to give up this summer, accept some of the offers that came to him and shelve. But he still waits for a moment that will help him measure himself at this Atlético. Meanwhile, he does not lose his smile and it is to be appreciated because from there winning costumes are built.