Diego Simeone went back to clarify his comments on Joao Felix.
The Atletico Madrid boss recalled Felix back into his line-up for the 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.
He was thought to have taken aim at the forward’s lack of workrate in his previous press conferences. He instead, explained to reporters, “We are a team, not just one player. We need everyone’s contribution so that the team can function as a team, and that individuals and talent can excel.”
Simeone continued, “Either I express myself badly, they interpret me badly or they just do what they want. I speak of a general will. It is the most important thing in life; without it, the rest does not exist.”
Felix has now scored just twice in 16 games and was dropped to the bench in the 1-1 draw against Real Madrid. He has come under criticism this season for not matching the manager’s demands.
Atletico still have a healthy lead of six points at the top of the La Liga after this mid-week win. Felix is their best creative talent, still adapting to life in Spain. But unless he starts to prove himself, he could see his name dropped from the starting XI more often.
READ MORE:Â Atletico Madrid Player Salaries 2021 (Weekly Wages)
