Bullshit about Simeone, bullshit about João Félix

Even before arriving at Atleti, yay felix was used as a thrown weapon against simeon. The speech was prefabricated in the ‘nacionalmadridistas’ media, caught on with certain athletic sectors and eventually became a sebaceous cyst that pressured the club from the ‘super agent’ Mendes, had to leave. From day one we were sold that João and Simeone were water and oil, that they didn’t mix, that there was only one left and that their coexistence was impossible. It was made up, lied, dirty and finally, after winning a competition and going through the games, it was completed. A chronicle of a death foretold. Some blamed Cholo and others, Félix. May each stick hold its candle.

Félix was far from the level assumed for a player for whom a club pays 127 million euros. His talent, indisputable, appeared trickle by drop and spread in flashes. He lacked continuity, regularity and consistency. His farewell, a thrill to follow, a flight ahead, was a failure for all parties involved. Failure of the club, because the big investment ended in a forced loan. Failure of the player, as he could not pass the screen and level up, ceased to be a “highlights” football player to be a decisive “crack”. And it was a failure of the coach, who could not successfully fulfill his task, to get the best out of the player.

João asked to leave, the club complied with his wish, found a destination for him and there, in London, he does exactly the same as in Madrid. He remains an on-and-off talent capable of making three plays that will get you out of your seat in five minutes and disappear for forty minutes at the same time. He is able to throw two pipes, two bicycles and get out of a leg ambush and also kick senseless, go out into the street or make faces when they switch him as he still doesn’t finish the games. The club changes, the league changes, the system changes, the teammates change and the coach’s name changes, but the Portuguese continues where he was. He is a player of infinite class with a pending subject: regularity.

Nothing has changed in Simeone. Not even in João. The only thing that has changed is the critical eye of those who watch it. Months ago, the enlightened “nacional madridismo” that rules the media revealed that Cholo was a prisoner of talent, a terrorist whose approach laminated João’s talent. Since the field does not lie and Atleti’s results are now what they are, the false prophets who crucified Cholo for not betting on the Portuguese are now silent as prostitutes during mass. geniuses. The problem is that a surreal poison is spreading in certain mattress sectors, that of belittling and blaming João for all ills, as if the athletic renaissance and the departure of the Portuguese had anything to do with it. As if the Portuguese were a black sheep who had cured all Atleti’s ailments when he left. That is more fake than a wooden euro.

When João was with Atleti, he was sanctified by demonizing Simeone with the aim of destroying the Argentinian’s reputation. Now the process is reversed. With João gone from Atleti, there are those who believe, insist and justify that João must be systematically killed to defend Simeone’s honor. The chanting begins to become unbearable. Using João as a “bump ball” to praise Simeone is as petty as calling Cholo a sports terrorist for not stripping João. Medium term is virtue. Neither Simeone was a terrorist nor is João a heretic deserving of banishment. The reality is that Cholo is the one in charge, and if you have to choose between him and anyone else, it’s non-negotiable. And that this does not prevent us from understanding that the Portuguese is an asset to the club, that he has a contract and that the fan has never been wanting.

Whoever writes this, cholista and very honorable, could give rise to all the hoaxes, rumours, conjectures and nonsense that are circulating about the Portuguese. The truth, which sells less than lies, is another. João was a great teammate during his time at Atleti, he is still a much loved man in the dressing room, he is not a brat and he is much more mature than others who pride themselves on being one while kissing the shield. Those who insulted Simeone for not giving João more minutes were doing Atleti a disservice. And anyone who thinks that Atleti are doing better because João was a black sheep is making a mistake.

They say Chelsea loves him. Since three months is an eternity and the designs of the market are inscrutable, one would not dare to rule out the possibility that what everyone thinks impossible will eventually happen. Let João Simeone finish again. It happened to Filipe, Tiago and Costa. It happened to Morata, although the journalists told us it wouldn’t happen. And it happened to Saúl, even though the media told us it was impossible. Joao? Time will tell. Until July, it would be enough to try to understand that neither Simeone was a prisoner of talent nor that João is a piece of flesh with eyes that can be buried in the dirt to defend Simeone. It’s not that hard after all. Burying Simeone in the mud is not a good thing. Joao also bathe in garbage for free. After all, continuing to do that is throwing mud at Atleti. And taking work away from ‘nacionalmadridismo’ is a bad thing.

Reuben Uria