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Atletico Madrid secured a 3-2 win over RB Salzburg in their UEFA Champions League group fixture on Tuesday night as Joao Felix led a spectacular comeback for the Spaniards.
After a powerful strike by Marcos Llorente saw Atletico Madrid take the lead, it took Dominik Szoboszlai less than 10 minutes to get his team back into the game as he dispatched a composed strike past Jan Oblak.
The score was 1-1 at half-time but Atletico Madrid were stunned by an early blow as Mergim Berisha struck from close range to make it 2-1 for the visitors. However, the lead didn't last long as it took five odd minutes for Felix to turn the game on its head after a quick one-two with Angel Correa secured the crucial second goal for the home side.
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Diego Simeone's attacking substitutions in the 80th minute brought a different dimension to Atletico Madrid as they shifted to 4-3-3 with two natural wingers on either flank. In a blink, Felix scored his second of the night from a fierce Thomas Lemar cross as Atletico Madrid bagged the three points.
#5 Diego Simeone was patient with Joao Felix and is now bearing the fruit
Plenty of fans disregard what a 19-year-old goes through when he moves clubs. Joao Felix has been in Portugal all his life and, evidently, the big step to Atletico Madrid came a bit too soon in his footballing career. After a few bad games in Spain, fans were already calling for Felix's head. However, Simeone remained calm.
The requirement to learn a new language, to adapt to new teammates, a new country, different climate, various foods and ultimately to work under a new coach who shares different ideologies are all factors that affect a player's form.
However, at the age of 19, Felix was already regarded as a big money 'flop', despite him not even completing 30 appearances for Atletico Madrid.
However, he is gradually starting to prove his critics wrong. The €126 million price tag is an investment by Atletico Madrid for their short-term as well as long-term future, and Felix is already becoming one of Simeone's most important players.
With 2 goals and 2 assists in 5 starts across all competitions, Joao Felix is just getting started.
#4 Thomas Partey has left a huge void in Atletico Madrid's midfield, which is yet to be filled
It is an open secret that Thomas Partey was the link man between defence and attack for Atletico Madrid. The Ghanaian not only protected the back four but was a regular threat in the opposition's half and was heavily involved in the team's build-up, thanks to his progressive passing and positional awareness.
While Arsenal signed him in the summer, Atletico Madrid have had to rely on Hector Herrera, who is not half the player Partey was in Simeone's side.
In the gaffer's own words:
"Partey is a player who understood transitions the most."
In just two Champions League fixtures, Atletico Madrid have conceded six goals from open play. They are being outplayed and overrun in midfield, and Simeone needs to dig deeper into his book of tactics to find a remedy to limit pressure on his back four.
#3 Dominik Szoboszlai is one of Europe's finest talents
Creativity, positional awareness, elegance, dribbling, goalscoring, flair, press resistance, work ethic. What else do you require in your dream midfielder? A 20-year-old Hungarian footballer, who goes by the name Dominik Szoboszlai, ticks every box.
With 13 goals and 19 assists in his last 23 games, Szoboszlai looks set for a big move in the upcoming transfer window, following in the footsteps of Erling Haaland. He extended his goalscoring record against Atletico Madrid, with a sweet outside footed strike to make it 1-1 for his team. A left-winger on paper, Szoboszlai plays quite a free role under Jesse Marsch and has excelled in his craft at such a tender age.
European nights are his cup of tea, and scoring goals from midfield is what he does best. With a release clause of just €25 million, it's about time someone snatches him up.
#2 Atletico Madrid haven't been convincing in the UCL
It might be too early to call it but conceding 6 goals in just 2 games in the Champions League is too poor a stat to not be looked at. Atletico Madrid's record in La Liga has been immaculate, with 10 goals in 5 games and conceding only 1 goal so far. However, are they ready for European nights?
The three substitutions in the 80th minute were one of Diego Simeone's masterclass moves but if not for Salzburg's inferior finishing, it could've been a long night for Simeone and his men, especially considering the number of shots (14) a team from the Austrian league had against one of Spain's best defences.
The Spaniards travel to Moscow next week to take on Lokomotiv Moscow. The home side would be excited for the fixture after their performance against Bayern Munich while Atletico Madrid should be cautious about their approach. Simeone is surely in for a surprise if his team continues to leak goals at the back at this rate.
#1 RB Salzburg was courageous in their approach vs Atletico Madrid
No team in world football would come to Wanda Metropolitano without being aware of the threat Atletico Madrid provides on the counter-attack. Despite that, RB Salzburg were confident in their game plan and almost stunned the Spanish giants on their home soil.
The visitors did not target Atletico Madrid's marauding full-backs in Renan Lodi and Kieran Trippier but, instead, they looked to exploit spaces behind Herrera and Koki. The midfield duo dropped a rather average performance as Salzburg's 37% of attacks (highest) came through midfield. They looked to penetrate right through Atletico Madrid's heart and were successful to a certain extent.
A high-risk high-reward move for the away side, Salzburg were fairly unlucky to leave Spain without a point in the bag. Not to take away from Felix's world-class performance but Atletico Madrid currently don't look like a side competent enough to qualify for the knockouts of the Champions League.
