Atletico Madrid have enjoyed a good second half of the season, refinding their form and settling on a system that works for them. With Antoine Griezmann leading the way, Los Colchoneros look again like a side moving in the right direction. However there are one or two players that have been left behind, not least Saul Niguez.
After returning from his loan at Chelsea last summer, Saul has failed to make any impact, with Diario AS claiming he is Diego Simeone’s eighth choice of midfielder. They highlight that between 2017 and 2020, he was always amongst their top three most-used players, crossing the 4,000-minute barrier in two of those seasons.
This season, with four games to go, Saul has managed just 1,074 minutes all season. Only 11 of his 34 appearances have been starts, and it has become clear that Simeone does not see him as an important part of the squad going forward.
What happens with Saul’s future is not yet clear, but it appears that Simeone no longer trusts him to compete for minutes.
Image via Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa Press
