The difficult management of João Félix

Tension flies over Los Angeles de San Rafael since last monday there was a reunion that neither party wanted: that of João Félix and Simeone. The most expensive signing in the history of Atlético returned to the discipline of the club after a failed loan to Chelsea in winter, when the fracture between the footballer and the coach became total. Since he stepped foot in the Segovian urbanization, João Félix has maintained a serious rictus, with his mouth contracted in a straight line that reveals how complicated the situation is.. There are only three ways: transfer, loan or Atlético. And all three are complicated.

The first because the club is not willing to sell at any price, João cost 127 million in 2019 and seeks an income of around one hundred. But there are no firm offers and, without firm offers, selling is impossible. The second is a transfer under the terms of January to Chelsea: months out of the team for the footballer to play and claim and the first option can be unlocked. The third is the most difficult, due to the total break between the two parties that occurred in January and has filled Los Angeles de San Rafael since Monday. The staging by the clubwho on July 7 announced that his number, number 7, would return to its previous owner, Griezmann, leaving João without a number, and the coach is not the best either.

Since the first day João stepped on the grass of San Rafael, Simeone, who at the moment seems to have won this battle, while João capsized in England, he managed to move the team forward after the winter debacle, where he was left out of all European competition, he has made his position clear with facts at work. Facts such as organizing a match of ten against ten and leaving out only two players from the first team, marked as discarded: Lodi and João. Facts such as organizing another game and sending one of the internationals who had arrived first that morning to the bench, an international named João. Details that were those that the Portuguese pointed out to Andrea Berta, sports director, at the end of the session on Tuesday, when they crossed paths while the team was leaving the field, in two tense minutes with arms waving from a João who thus conveyed his frustration to the sports director. The boy trains and works, in silence and without gestures of complicity with anyone, but with professionalism. Being, moreover, the footballer of all the rojiblancos who has stood out the most in the afternoon sessions in which he commands the ball, being the best.

If his departure has not been resolved before, he will be on the tour

But he and Simeone don’t cross paths, they don’t speak to each other, they treat each other as if they were complete strangers but they have to live and train under the same roof 24 hours a day. And as the days go by nothing changes or improves, the divorce is more palpable, like that straight line on João’s face that was once a mouth capable of smiling until the arrival of the team on Tuesday night at the José María restaurant for the traditional suckling pig dinner. On Tuesday, when the coach divided his squad in two to work on defense and attack in a game, the Portuguese participated when he played the first but when he played the second, he took away. When his frustration withdrew, it became palpable again when he reluctantly threw the bib at Nelson Vivas, Simeone’s second. the tension goes in crescendo though everything stands still. And João cannot be wrong again when choosing a team. In principle, in the club’s plans is the one that goes to the tour as one more. It will last fifteen days and will begin on Monday, July 24, and João will be there… if he is still there.