“It is not the De Paul of Udinese and Argentina”slide those who know the Argentine soccer player best, who lives his worst moment since he arrived at Atlético at the express request of a Simeone He had been tracking him for several years. He knew what his compatriot could give, but now he himself is far from the best version of him, as the coach himself knows.
Hence, after making room for him in the eleven shortly after arriving now, he has fallen out of the lineup (he aims to start on Sunday due to casualties due to injuries) for the benefit of blacksmith and Kondogbia, the two brains that have taken command and performed at a very high level in the last victorious appointments of those of the Metropolitan.
Hence, Rodrigo’s greatest defender, Cholo himself, has separated him from his untouchables by verifying that he is not, at the moment, the differential footballer who became one of the best midfielders in a Serie A which is populated by level players on that plot. A leadership that he exercised in Udinese but also with Argentinawhere he was one of the best (for many the best) of the albiceleste on the way to winning the Copa América.
Difficult adaptation
The adaptation of a player with a lot of character who has had several frictions in the locker room precisely because of that profile is not being easy. not even be friends with Angel Strapwith whom he shares selection and even agent, and Luis Suarez It has made it easier for him to get on the right foot in a dugout with the marked leadership of other players who have earned it on the green for years defending the Atletico shield.
In fact, He is partly responsible for the fact that Suárez is less ‘integrated’ in the booth than last yearwhere he came humbly from Barça and became a benchmark in the green… and because of his experience fighting for top-level titles.
Low scoring numbers
One of the qualities that most valued Simeone to win De Paul were his great goalscoring and assisting numbers in Udinese. The double figures (10 goals and 10 assists) made the Argentine a key piece due to the importance that El Cholo gives to the midfielders with arrivals that complement the forwards.
There is nothing of that quality so far this year. Just one goal (against Porto in Portugal) and two assists (Elche and Levante) are the poor balance of the midfielderwho does not finish neither taking the place nor reaching the importance, counted is, of which he shows off with the Argentine team.
Uncertain future?
With a contract until 2026, some internal voices are beginning to recognize that he was not the ideal signing at this time. They also ‘point’ to Simeone to make him responsible for an acquisition that, during the excellent Copa América played by the Argentine, had the rojiblancos excited after paying 35 million euros that now seem like a lot for a From Paul who lives his particular journey in the desert.
