Rodrigo de Paul claims that the departure of Joao Felix did not make Atletico Madrid better
Speaking to Cadena SER (h/t Football.London), Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo de Paul claimed that the departure of Joao Felix was not the reason behind the resurgence in form this calendar year.
Felix left the Spanish side to join Chelsea on loan in January for the rest of this season. In a short spell here so far, the Portugal international has shown his quality with impressive performances.
For Atleti though, a team struggling in the league and finishing fourth in their Champions League group before the World Cup, there has been some turnaround since the start of 2023. Diego Simeone’s men have six of the 10 league games in this calendar year, lifting them up to third in the table.
De Paul thinks the turn in form is not down to the fact that Felix left the club. Here’s what the Argentine World Cup winner said (h/t Football.London):
“Has Joao’s departure has improved the environment? I totally disagree with that. A bit of common sense, Atletico Madrid with Joao Felix was league champion. He did very well here and I think if he was here, the team would also have reacted.”
It is crazy to think there are people who think that the departure of a player can make such a contrast in form. Moreover, Felix is not the type of player who would disrupt a dressing room just because he is not playing regularly, which he was not under Simeone.
Chelsea may have the chance to sign the 23-year-old on a permanent deal in the summer. Whether they would do that or send him back to Spain, remains to be seen. It may also depend on whether the Blues are playing Champions League football next season.
For now, Felix remains an important cog in a Chelsea side full of attacking qualities but lacking goals. The Portuguese star can add goals and assists to that team and fire them to potentially go deep in Europe along with improvement in the league position.
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He opened the scoring against Everton on Sunday in SW6 seven minutes into the second half and his 1-2 with Reece James was important to win us the penalty which made the scoreline 2-1 in our favour, only for us to concede a late equaliser – which was, coincidentally, just a couple of minutes after the Portugal international exited the field.
