Atletico Madrid beat Real Betis 3-1 at the Benito Villamarin in La Liga on Sunday evening to climb above them in the table. It was a big night for Los Colchoneros and also for Rodrigo de Paul.
Diego Simeone was about to take off his compatriot on the hour mark only for a single moment, according to Marca, to change his mind. De Paul played a perfect pass to find Marcos Llorente in space, who then squared the ball for Joao Felix to score.
That play changed the game and also De Paul’s immediate future. Simeone decided against hooking the Argentine and left him on. He went from strength to strength for the rest of the game, showing the quality he was signed for but hasn’t shown often.
Now, with important duels against Cadiz and Manchester United on the horizon, De Paul’s performance has given Simeone a selection headache. Geoffrey Kondogbia, Koke and Hector Herrera are all capable alternative options in the middle of the park.
