On-loan Chelsea forward Joao Felix has claimed that he was finding it difficult to adapt to the playing style at his parent club Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone. Felix made the switch to the Blues in January this year.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 10, 2023 16:38 IST
Felix moved to Chelsea during this year’s January transfer window (Courtesy: Reuters)
By India Today Web Desk: Chelesa’s on-loan forward Joao Felix said that it was difficult for him to get used to the playing style employed at his parent club Atletico Madrid by manager Diego Simeone.
Felix joined the Blues on a loan move worth nine million pounds in January this year. The 23-year-old, after his record move from Benfica, struggled to realize his true potential at Atletico, scoring 25 goals in three and a half seasons at the club.
Speaking to the Spanish paper AS, Felix said that he had been looking for a change of scenery as he found the playing style under Simeone difficult to get used to.
The Portuguese forward felt that the move to Chelsea has been good for him and Atletico in the end.
“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,” Felix told Spanish newspaper AS in an interview published on Friday.
“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.”
Felix commented on Simeone and said that he is a very good coach and said that he has his own way of understanding and seeing football. The 23-year-old said that this trait of the Atletico boss is good for some and bad for others.
“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,” he said.
Describing Simeone’s vision of football, Felix added that it was basically to suffer on the pitch.
“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.”
