The situation
Atlético embraced this break for the World Cup with the imperative need to breathe, stick out their heads, time to heal wounds . Because there were many blows in the first part of this season split in two by Qatar. The elimination of the Champions League first and the consolation of the Europa League later, in addition, bleeds economically. In the accounts of the season there is already a hole: the 9.6 million that the rojiblanco club would have received for reaching the round of 16 that will never arrive. They were budgeted. Last winter the warning was already out there. “Either the team is classified among the first four, Champions, or it will have to make sales.” And painful sales. Star Sales. Read Carrasco, for example. Important players. That was achieved and that coup stopped but the one this fall did not. Atleti faces January looking at the accounts and forced, almost, to balance with sales. But without stopping combing the market. Because high are also necessary . Low cost, okay, but high. Since the summer of 2021, Atlético needs to strengthen its defense . The team had won LaLiga in May with Simeone clinging to a change of system, 3-5-2 and only four center-backs in his squad. I needed another at least. A need aggravated when the 21-22 began with the recurring injuries to Savic and Giménez, his starting partner: each one missed a third of the season , until October 2, 2021 they could not reunite. And meanwhile, Felipe and Hermoso were in all the photos. Reds, mistakes, games that are leaving. The first because far, far away, is that Felipe who arrived in 2019 and made a place for himself with his aerial forcefulness. The second because it is a Russian roulette. As soon as he scores the winning goal at the last minute or a penalty in the next play. Summer arrived, however, without a central office .
The details
The signing of Atlético in the line was the renewal of a Felipe who ended his contract in June and then no longer, he was renewed due to a clause for games played in his contract. But he is still in the same place. Without Savic and/or Giménez the team breaks down behind. And if the Uruguayan lives in constant danger of injury, the Montenegrin is currently experiencing the worst version of him. Atlético needs a leading central defender, who commands and organizes. The photo is Reinildo, who arrived at LaLiga last January as a stranger(although in France it was not, included in the 2020-21 L’Equipe Ideal XI in which Lille, his team, was proclaimed champion in France ahead of Mbappé’s and Neymar’s PSG) and that meets the Perfection his role as bolt, always reliable and perfect on the cut, although with deficiencies in the release of the ball and in recent games infected with the general gray from which only Oblak, Griezmann and João Félix are saved. Reguilón’s competition will come in handy after the break .