On September 18, LaLiga returned to the Wanda Metropolitano to receive Athletic and the spotlights were concentrated by an Antoine Griezmann who made his debut in the athletic fiefdom after having already re-debuted in the eleven in Cornellà and having had a few minutes in the Champions League against Porto. In the European competition, his first reunion with the mattress fans had arrived after having closed his loan from Barcelona on the last day of the market.
But, in that list, there was also a much less media novelty, since Ivan Saponjic made his debut against Athletic in a call-up after being left out of the previous five by technical decision. The Serbian, who had returned to the club in the summer from his assignment to Cádiz, decided not to go out on the summer market despite the fact that his situation has not changed since the first day as a completely secondary player for Simeone. The Argentine coach had only turned to him in 19 minutes of the first friendly against Numancia, where Saponjic scored his penalty in the final shootout.
Subsequently, and without suffering any injury, he had been left out in all the preparatory matches prior to the start of the championship although Suárez, Correa and João Félix were not yet there. The quarry passed in front of Saponjic and at the end of the market Atlético was reinforced in attack with Matheus Cunha and Griezmann himself. But the serbian still in the template, trains with the group and has entered three league calls, not like that in Champions where it is not directly registered. Although his situation seems immovable. Unless he has a chance in the Copa del Rey, the only competition in which he participated last season, he is not expected to see Saponjic again with the red-and-white shirt.
The tip He has not played for Atlético since last January 6 in the Cup defeat in Cornellà. He played 25 minutes, which together with the 20 against Cardassar also in the Cup represented the only 45 minutes of Saponjic’s course before leaving for Cádiz. He had more participation in the Cervera team, reaching nine league games, with three starts and 386 minutes, scoring his first goal in Spain against Osasuna from a penalty. Although with a certain trap, since its participation grew with the saved team favored by a clause signed in its assignment where in the case of add 45 minutes in a minimum of five games, Cádiz would not have to pay an extra payment (Once completed, he did not even play on the last day).
Saponjic signed for three seasons upon his arrival at the club in the summer of 2019, so from January 1 he is free to negotiate and sign for any other team. So far, his rojiblanco background is what it is: five official games in almost two and a half years. One of those strange cases in football of a player of whom little is known, has not raised his voice either, he has been a fixture in training, a close friend of Oblak and Savic, but whose future at the club seems closer and closer to completion.