The metamorphosis of João Félix

“João Félix will get angry and will continue to be angry with me, but someday you’ll be thankful”. They were Simeone’s words after the Portuguese brace against Betis, when the ‘7’ had been the great protagonist of the game, but he had not liked being substituted. And it has taken time, but the best version of João Félix has arrived.

Against Alavés, the 22-year-old player once again established himself as the leader of Atlético to add the sixth consecutive victory in the League and his seventh goal in the last eight games. From February 19 in Pamplona, ​​something changed in the team, coinciding with the return of the Portuguese to the eleven after two games coming off the bench. The team began to compete better, to be stronger behind and to maintain determination in attack, returning to the bases of cholismo.

Against Osasuna, João opened the scoring as soon as the game started, something that has become customary. And in the second half he would serve a great ball into space that Suárez would improve with a spectacular shot from 30 meters. Since that match, João Félix has experienced a tactical movement to which he has responded in spades. Simeone has stopped counting on Suárez as a reference in attack and has begun to train with the Portuguese as the spearhead of the team. A ‘false 9’ who has added to his quality from the second line and his magic with the ball an ability to move in the area as if it were a classic battering ram.

He has shown it with that ability to create his space in the area, as he did in the double against Betis and with aerial power that Falcao himself would sign, leaving two brilliant headers against Manchester United and Alavés to always open the scoring. With Griezmann as his usual partner, João has become an undetectable player for the rival defense, capable of combining, as in Koke’s goal at Vallecas or Lodi’s at Old Trafford, where he gave the penultimate pass with a backheel for Griezmann, also adding to the pressure, the way in which the goal was generated against Cádiz and stretching the team for his combination of technique, class and speed, as well as being the player who receives the most fouls per minute in the competition. A hybrid between a football generator ’10’ and a finisher ‘9’.

A full-fledged metamorphosis. The player himself, who after the game commented between laughs that had responded to Suarez’s demands for his fantasy, He explained about his improvement that “it was never a physical problem. It was more about mentality and adaptation, because at times things did not go well, the goals did not appearI could shoot 30 times without scoring and now it seems that every time I shoot it’s a goal, before it didn’t happen”. A rush of confidence, but also a tactical and footballing evolution that with Simeone always costs, but ends up coming and in the case of João Félix there is no ceiling or barriers.

While Real Madrid and Barcelona are working on signing the next great star of their project, Atlético has an advantage: they have it at home. João Félix has matured, he is seen to be more involved, integrated with his teammates, effective and with the quality that he has in his boots, he could be the jewel in the red and white crown. “We have a lot of leaders, players with a lot of personality and that makes us great”, indicated the ‘7’ after another great game. Cholo has been polishing the young player, he has moved him on the pitch until he found where he can be more determinant and has found that leader and reference as the most advanced player of the team or thrown to the left profile to go out with a natural leg. João Félix now points to Manchester City.