It took him a while to adjust to Atletico Madrid’s style of play, said Portugal forward Joao Felix. He also added that coach Diego Simeone‘s philosophy wasn’t beneficial to every player.
In 2019, Felix signed for Atletico from Benfica for 126 million euros ($135 million). But he has failed to achieve his potential. He scored 25 goals in three and a half seasons before joining Chelsea in January.
After being sent off on his Premier League debut last month against Fulham, the Portuguese forward will return to action this weekend against West Ham.
What did Felix say about Simeone and his reason for leaving Atletico?
Felix said in an interview:
“I had been looking for a change of scenery for some time because it was difficult for me to get used to the way of playing.”
“I left because my head was full of the fact I was trying and not being able to. It had to be in this transfer window and I think it has been good for Atletico and for me too.”
His dribbling and passing ability led Chelsea to sign him on loan. But his skills haven’t always fit Simeone’s Atletico Madrid team, which prioritizes defence over the attack. While Felix did not openly criticize the Argentine coach, he did hint that the two have not always agreed.
“He is a very good coach. He has his way of understanding and seeing football that others don’t have. That’s good for some and bad for others. It depends on each person.”
In describing Simeone’s football vision, he said:
“It’s basically to suffer on the pitch. It is to be suffering, have an opportunity and score it. That’s his way of competing. It’s not bad but it’s different to other coaches.”
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