New Flamengo signed Saul Niguez has finished 17 years in Atletico Madrid, the club he came through, and spent his entire career with three loan spells with Rayo Vallecano, Chelsea and Seville. After ending his deal with Atletico, the 30-year-old starts again in Brazil.
However, he did not leave without any honest reflections in his time in Atletico. Initially popping up as the Great Hope for Atletico in midfield, have somewhat soured his career in the Spanish capital in recent years, with his considerable salary that turned out to be problematic for Los Rojiblancos.
Certainly during the second half of his career there was enough talk about a gap between Saul and manager Diego Simeone. The first was unhappy with playing what he thought he was his best position, while Simeone felt justified not to give him the reins. Yet El Cholo came out in a good light in an interview with Cadena Cope.
“My relationship with Simeone had his ups and downs, but he was always immediately, not fake like some others in the club. He might have been a little further away as a coach, but everything he said to me was always in my face. In my last conversation with him in the Sanchez-Pizjuan, he didn't tell me for the next season.” Was the opposite. “
It has been a second summer of large editions in the Metropolitano, with six new faces arriving in Atletico, so far for a total of € 153 million excluding variables, after an edition of € 190 million last summer. A number of Atletico players have stated that they are aiming for titles this season, and Saul said there is little excuse not to do this.
“They have fewer and fewer apologies. Last year they spent € 200 million, and this year they paid another € 200 million. Now the reality is different. They already spend the same as other clubs, and they have to compete for everything. Last year it wasn't as bad as some people who got a year long.
Of course the biggest editions ever of Atletico Madrid on Joao Felix, and after the edition of € 129 million on Portuguese talent, the Pandemic Hit and a period of cuts. Initially, Simeone was blamed by a part of the media because he did not get the best out of him, but the story has shifted the responsibility to Felix himself. Saul almost confirmed that his work ethics was right to frustrate Simeone.
“Joao has all the qualities to be an incredible player, but no matter how good you are, if you are not working, it is worthless … I heard a meaning of Paco Jemez who said that talent without work is nothing … Many of us have tried to help Joao, but if you don't want that …”
This summer Felix completed his fourth move in the room of two years, after spells in Barcelona, AC Milan, Chelsea and Al-Nassr. The last two movements also amounted to € 82 million in reimbursements, but at the age of 25 it only started 43 times in the last two seasons and his place lost in all three European teams.
Saul also explained in his interview that the 'personal things' that stood in the way of Trabzonspor, until finally reasons were, with reference to the fact that he would have only gone to Turkiye. His wife is pregnant and the adaptation to Rio de Janeiro was considered easier for his family because of the food, language and climate.