One step behind the co-leaders Real Madrid and Girona, FC Barcelona (4th) and the Atlético de Madrid (3rd), both with 31 points, have an appointment on Sunday at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium in a duel to get on the wagon of the fight for the league title.
Both clubs arrive with victories during the week, after sealing their place in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
The match also features the duel between Antoine Griezmann and Joao Félix, who had their internships between both clubs.
The Frenchman, after his discreet time at the Camp Nou (2019-2021), is surely experiencing the best moment of his career and in his second stage at Atlético he has become the leader of the red-and-white team, being only three goals away from equalizing Luis Aragonés as the club’s all-time top scorer.
Joao Felixfor his part, took the opposite path last summer, from Madrid to Barcelona, with the same objective as Griezmann: to relaunch his career.
Without the expected prominence in Diego Simeone’s team despite being the most expensive signing in Atlético’s history (€120 million), the Portuguese playmaker started off on the right foot at Barça, although without yet translating the quality he possesses into numbers: one goal in LaLiga and 3 in the Champions League, the last one last Tuesday against Porto to give the Barça team qualification (2-1).
He will surely want to vindicate himself on Sunday against the team that has loaned him to Barcelona and whether the Barça club will buy him definitively at the end of the season will depend on his good performance.
Between “points” and attacks without having played yet
The problem is that the Portuguese spoke too much before starting the commitment and this may not bring good comments from the other side.
“I prefer the style of Barcelona to that of Atlético de Madrid, me and all the players,” Félix revealed to ESPN. “Also those from Atleti would prefer to play more time in attack, if they don’t answer that they are lying.”
To that, Griezmann responded with “Joao had moments when he did it very well, when he worked very well, “But you have to be constant and there came a time when he got tired, he couldn’t see himself here anymore and that’s why he and the club made the effort to give him a way out.”
Simeone did not want to comment during the press conference, prior to the game, regarding Félix’s statements.
He Cholo He preferred to start by not commenting anything about the Portuguese. At least in the first question she asked about him. “I’m not talking about the kids who aren’t on our team,” she initially commented.
However, in another question, he left a message in case Joao Félix ends up leaving in the clash against his former team. “I say what I think. Football is not explained by a game. A game is a game. The important thing is continuity, sustaining a job, with a story behind it. That is what counts beyond a game. A good game Anyone can do it,” he reflected.
Félix has the support of the FC Barcelona coach. Xavi Hernández said that Cholo’s words were “obviously a blow” and said he was very happy with the Portuguese forward.
“Here we are very happy with him. I have not been to Atlético de Madrid. They are not my concern. Here we have seen a happy, hard-working, dynamic Joao, who is loved in the locker room, a joker.. He works for the group, scores important goals. I have no complaints,” the man from Terrassa made clear about the Portuguese attacker.
