FC Barcelona star Joao Felix has hit back at criticism from his former Atletico Madrid teammates … [+]
FC Barcelona star Joao Felix has hit back at criticism from his former Atletico Madrid teammates Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguez to Spanish football broadcaster Movistar.
The Portuguese forward is currently on loan with the Blaugrana after sealing a last minute, season-long deal on deadline day in the summer transfer window.
Despite them winning the La Liga title in 2021, a near four-year spell at Atleti – interrupted by a brief assignment at Chelsea from January to June – didn’t always go to plan for the “Golden Boy” who the Colchoneros paid $137.35 million (€126 million) to Benfica for at the turn of the decade.
Misunderstanding with Diego Simeone appeared common, but Felix appears much happier now at the Montjuic Stadium where he kissed the Barca badge following his winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Now that they have guaranteed qualifcation to the knockout phase of Europe’s elite competition for the first time in three seasons, fourth-placed Barca’s next assignment is a tough La Liga meeting with third-placed Atleti at the aforementioned ground.
In the build-up to the late Sunday evening fixture, players from both sides are naturally being asked questions about Felix’s time in the Spanish capital.
On Thursday, Griezmann told Movistar: “In the end, when you get here, you know more or less what the coach and the team are like. Either you adapt and work for it or things don’t work out for you. Joao worked very well at times, but you have to be consistent.
“There were times when he got tired and didn’t see himself [staying] here. That’s why he’s made the effort [to leave] and the club has also made the effort to give him a way out.”
By the same outlet at Barca’s training ground on Friday morning, Felix replied “No” when asked if he had seen the comments from Griezmann.
“He said that at Atletico Madrid you lacked the consistency to succeed. That you weren’t consistent enough and that you got tired of trying. Do you agree with him?” Felix was further probed.
“Agree or not, everyone has their opinion and I’m not going to comment on it,” the left winger replied.
Digging deeper, the interviewer, added: “Saul also told us that there are things that could have been done better as well. Do you think you could have done some things better and that there are people who didn’t do things [as they should]?”
“Obviously,” Felix said. “There are things I could have done better. Me and everyone. There are things that haven’t gone well. It’s not just one [person’s] fault, it’s the fault of several [people].”
In the meantime Felix has defended his corner, Atleti goalkeeper Jan Oblak has also chimed into the debate and seemed to agree with Griezmann that a lack of consistency was to blame for things not panning out well at the Metropolitano.
“I’m sure that [the minutes Felix is getting at Barca] are extremely important, not only for Joao but also for any player,” Oblak said to MARCA.
“But you have to prove it on the pitch and during training that you deserve to be in the lineup. You have to give your best so that the coach can trust you, and this doesn’t just apply to Joao,” the Slovenian concluded on this.