Joao’s frustration raises questions about Simeone relationship

Joao Felix

has been suggested to show more focus and wait until he gets his turn at Atletico Madrid since his future is in doubt under the reign of Diego Simeone. The Portugal player joined from Benfica in 2019 and became a teenage prodigy on a deal worth €126million. He was expected to become the future superstar. However, he has only met the target 29 times and contributed 16 assists in 122 matches for the La Liga giants. Felix has failed to live up to the expectations.

The club manager took responsibility this week, saying:

"All those bad aspects from Joao's performances mean I am doing even worse. All his frustrations are caused because I am not capable to give him everything he needs in order to explode that football talent he has."

Simeone explained: "We need him but lately he has not been able to succeed in what is most important for him, which is scoring. Obviously, that frustrates him. We need him and those goals will come as a consequence of his work."

His comments were shared before his side’s goalless draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League, with Joao sitting on the sidelines waiting to be substituted. Simeone’s last substitution came in the 79th minute as he sent out Antoine Griezmann and chose to substitute Axel Witsel. Felix became frustrated but his teammate Geoffrey Kondogbia said: "It is normal. We all want to play.

"It is something personal, we can just give him advice. It also happened to me. Sometimes you're upset.

"This happens in football, but it is not serious. You just have to wait for your time to come and try [your best] as everybody does."

The question raised here is whether Atletico should do this with a player they have spent a lot of money on and whether the player and the manager can work together with their relationship going downhill.

As per reports from Marca, the alliance on Thursday was "at the worst moment", saying the current situation is "unsustainable".

Atletico expected Felix to deliver more consistently but the 22-year-old is stuck between the bench and the starting XI. He has played in 11 matches this season, being in the starting XI seven times. He only contributed three assists in the battle against Getafe in La Liga. Although Jose Gimenez did not see Felix’s reaction in the battle against Brugge, he believes his anger is understandable as well as desirable.

"I imagine that he got mad because he did not play,"

Gimenez said.

"I want in my team rebel players that want to play, that you can see that they want to play and that when they have the chance to play they show this rage, want to give it all and earn the minutes in the pitch that they deserve."

Atletico will lock horns with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Before the clash with the Belgian champions, Simeone had said:

"Joao is a very important player for this club and also for the team. If he keeps following the path of being involved and understand that the most important thing is the team, the rest will come naturally."

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