Atletico Madrid are one of the form teams in La Liga, with only Barcelona taking more points than them in 2023. One of the key reasons has been Antoine Griezmann’s form, but various players have turned their seasons around, including Nahuel Molina.
The World Cup-winner had a shaky start under Diego Simeone, but has re-asserted himself in 2023. Now he looks like a crucial part of Atletico’s attack and defence, making the position his own.
In an interview with Luzu TV (via Diario AS), Molina has admitted it took him some time to adapt to his move from Udinese, but that it has done him good.
“Change is hard. I was in Udine, a cold city in northern Italy. And coming here to Madrid has changed me for the better. Atletico is a very important club. Here are a lot of things to do. The language helps and I see my family when they can travel or I can go there”.
He also admitted that he was not the biggest fan of training and fitness work.
“What I like the most is playing football. It is what I have always liked, what I enjoy. What I don’t like is the routine, training every day, that kills me. You have to take care of yourself and I’m not the one who takes care of himself the most. I have a physique that doesn’t put on much weight, I burn the fat and then I run a lot, so I burn everything.”
This no doubt is especially pertinent given Atletico Madrid have ‘Profe’ Ortega as their fitness coach, who is renowned for his hard-going style.
Nevertheless, Molina appears to have adapted now, and is fast becoming a well-liked player at the Civitas Metropolitano.
