Atletico Madrid are a team know for their defensive solidity, but they could go into next season with a pair of dazzling Brazilian left backs at their disposal.
Both Renan Lodi and Caio Henrique provide more of an attacking threat than the defensive aspect that their predecessor Filipe Luis brought to the team.
And another of their countrymen, and another former Atleti player, thinks that could serve Diego Simeone’s team well in the future.
Guillherme Siquiera, in an interview with Marca today, picked out some choice quotes on both:
“He plays as calmly as a 30 year old,” he said of Caio, and he was equally as complimentary of Lodi: “His speed surprised me. I didn’t realise how effective he could be as an attacking left back.”
He describes Caio as the more balanced of the two, and thus the one who is more reminiscent of Luis.
But Lodi has had a year learning under Simeone and starting for the first team, which will surely give him the advantage when it comes to playing earning the manager’s favour and getting starts from the outset.
“In the future we could be saying that the two Atletico left backs are those in the Brazil team,” Siquiera enthused further.
That’s a long shot, but with two players so talented competing for minutes, it seems likely at least one will go on to great things, whether that’s with Atleti or Brazil.
