Atletico Madrid defender Nahuel Molina has explained that his shaky start to life in Madrid was down to a period of adaptation rather than nerves. Molina arrived in Madrid from Udinese for €20m, an investment for which many Atletico fans wanted to see their right flank locked down long-term.
Molina started off poorly, getting sent off early and making several costly mistakes. Doubts were raised about whether he could make the cut, but after winning the World Cup with Argentina, Molina returned and ended up as Diego Simeone’s most used player over the course of the season. For many, he was the best right-back in La Liga during the second half of the season.
“I don’t think it was a nerves thing,” he told Diario AS, after he was asked whether the World Cup gave him the confidence to kick on at Atletico.
“It had more to do with all the change that I had to make. I came from another totally different league, from a totally different club, with other aspirations, totally different from those that Atleti has.”
🚨 Vitolo could be released from Atletico Madrid in the coming days, after having been at the club for over 6 years.
[🥇: @JaviGomara, @mundodeportivo] pic.twitter.com/gJk5XQOjJK
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) December 28, 2023
“So, all that, arriving at a new club, a coach who demands a lot of you every day, players who demand a lot of you every day, because my teammates are also very demanding, I think it was the change that I struggled with a little. I don’t blame it on nerves or because I felt bad. Nothing like that. It is simply an internal process that happens to all players when they change clubs and it was my turn [to go through it].”
Molina has asserted himself as the standout option on the right side, although occasionally Simeone has used Marcos Llorente there again. However his words are a reminder of the unreasonable expectations placed on most players, with fans and owners expecting immediate results. At times, that period of adaptation can sink a player if they are not shown the patience required.
"We have many games, different competitions, many challenges to fight for. We have to be ambitious and go for everything."
Nahuel Molina says #AtleticoMadrid are not prioritising one competition over another this season. (Diario AS) pic.twitter.com/6nNcjnCcj0
— Football España (@footballespana_) December 29, 2023
