Atletico Madrid beat Real Madrid for just the second time since returning to the Metropolitano stadium on Sunday night, blazing past their city rivals with a 3-1 win. At the heart of it was an excellent performance from Saul Niguez – not something many would have expected at the start of the campaign.
Saul, 28, was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer, but stayed, despite never really getting a fair crack at the whip since his loan move to Chelsea. But injuries to Pablo Barrios, Rodrigo de Paul, Thomas Lemar and Koke Resurreccion have given him another shot, and he has taken advantage of it.
On Sunday night, he provided to excellent assists for Alvaro Morata and Antoine Griezmann. His bothers, both footballers, told Relevo that even if he didn’t play much, it benefitted Saul in a big way.
📊| Saul Niguez vs Real Madrid:
▫️90 min
▫️2 assists
▫️88% passing accuracy
▫️2 chances created
▫️1 shot
▫️3 tackles won
▫️4 duels won
▫️3 blocks
▫️5 recoveriesBetter call Saul 🤙 pic.twitter.com/OrxInqy6kK
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) September 24, 2023
“In London he saw a little bit of the reality of football. Up until that point Saul had lived in an unreal world of football, where everything was a path of roses. There are sponsors, contracts, representatives… If you’re at a very high level, it’s easy achieve all that. But where things really become clear is when you’re performing below expectations. That’s when he realised how difficult football is in this world. On a personal level and on a football level, London did him a lot of good. I was convinced that it was going to make him a much better person and a better footballer,” says Aaron Niguez.
Jony also the believes his spell in London did him well.
“In terms of his level on the pitch, he didn’t put in the performances he would have liked, but in terms of personal growth it turned out very well. It helped him mature. Leaving home, a different environment, having a small girl… There were many changes that were difficult for him to adapt to, but he always says that the experience in London was positive.”
Aaron continues on to say that Saul’s spell at Chelsea have made him value his career properly.
“It looked like he was going to finish his career and he didn’t. My brother is in his prime (28 years old). These last two or three years have been good for him to realise how beautiful football is when things are going well and hard that’s when you’re not good on the pitch.”
