Atletico Madrid News
Luis Suarez talks Atletico Madrid exit, Simeone’s tactics, emotional farewell
Former Atletico Madrid forward Luis Suarez has admitted that the club should have communicated his exit in a rather different way, saying that although he felt comfortable throughout his tenure, he would have loved to play another season with the Rojiblancos.
Speaking in a candid chat with Spanish news outlet MARCA, the former Liverpool and Barcelona striker shed light on several aspects, including his relationship with Ronald Koeman and Lionel Messi among others.
As for time at Atletico Madrid, he pointed out a few instances that he felt should have been dealt with differently.
“Do I think I would’ve been able to stay one more year at Atletico Madrid? Yes, for sure,” said the legendary striker.
“But things happen for a reason. For something it was not renewed, for something it did not materialize. I was proud of my career there, of winning a La Liga after many years, of the fans saying goodbye to me in an emotional way.
“That ‘thank you, Luis, for the La Liga’ poster made me feel very proud,” he added.
Speaking about Atletico not renewing his contract, the striker simply said that he got over it soon and moved on quick especially because everyone at the club treated him very well.
“Did it hurt me that Atleti didn’t extend me? Yes, maybe they could’ve communicated it to me in another way, but then you start analyzing and say, ‘You don’t have to do things so big.’ That’s it. I felt comfortable, happy, I was one more.”
“The club treated me spectacularly. They saw that I was one more, and not that, coming from Barça, I was different,” he explained.
Suarez’s two-year stint with Atletico Madrid was rather successful. To begin with, he scored 32 league goals in 67 appearances and was a key member of the title-winning squad during the 2020-21 season.
Interestingly, Diego Simeone’s philosophy – often termed Cholismo – did not always sit well with the striker. Speaking the about the same, Suarez explained that this approach worked well in the past because the team had players of such profile.
“It is that before he had so many players of that profile that it was perfect,” said the forward.
“Sometimes you forget that before you had a strong defensive mentality with Juanfran, Godín, Miranda, Savic, Gabi. With that team, they attacked two or three times per game, but they got you a goal.”
“Nowadays they attack more, but they don’t score as many goals, and they attack you, on the other hand, more. But, due to the quality of the squad, they [Atletico Madrid] are still a candidate for everything,” he concluded.
There is no doubt that Atletico Madrid are bracing themselves for a busy summer ahead as they look to address the future of some of their star players. One of them is Saul Niguez, who has fallen out of favour under Diego Simeone and could leave the club.
A recent report from Mundo Deportivo has offered an update on the future of the Spaniard, suggesting that the player has once again become a market attraction.
The versatile star was on loan at Chelsea last season, but his spell at Stamford Bridge was far from ideal, as he featured in less than 500 minutes of league football. He returned to Atletico Madrid in the summer, and even though he wanted to leave the club, a move did not materialise.
Saul was even linked with a move away from Atleti in January. But Valencia, who were interested in him at the time, could not afford the deal, particularly because of the player’s salary and transfer fees.
The report from Mundo Deportivo states that Valencia have retained their interest in the player. But in addition to Los Che, Saul has been targeted by two other Spanish teams in the form of Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla.
Rayo have expressed the desire to sign Saul in the coming season. But they are likely to face economic difficulties in funding a move for the midfielder. The same can be said for Sevilla.
Saul’s current contract at Atletico Madrid expires in 2026, a deal that was agreed when the player was at his peak. But the long contract has now come back to haunt Atleti, as they desperately look to get rid of the Spanish international.
With his suitors likely to face financial trouble in weighing up a move, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Saul in the coming summer.
Saul is not the only Atletico Madrid player facing an uncertain future, with Axel Witsel’s father also hinting at a possible exit recently.
