When he returned from his six-month loan to Stamford Bridge after Pochettino did not see him in his London project, João Félix found that Antoine Griezmann had taken over the number 7 at Atlético, his since 2019. It was just a detail more of their difficult coexistence in the mattress club. It was, if necessary, another confirmation that he had the invitation to leave from those in charge and that Simeone would not make any big fuss to keep him. Obfuscated at Atlético and intermittent at Chelsea, ignored by Cholo and rejected by Pochettino, the Portuguese made his bet. “I would love to play for Barça,” he said in July. On the last day of the summer market, September 1, the ineffable Jorge Mendes made his and President Laporta's wishes come true.
If João Félix wanted minutes, he got his way. If he intended to revalue himself, he is achieving it. If he needed affection he has gotten it from his new coach. If he sought to be important, he has been so from the beginning. In Pamplona he made his Blaugrana debut with a single leg workout. Since then he has started nine games in a row.
The transfer (without an agreed purchase option) is going from strength to strength. For the first time in a long time, João Félix, who turns 24 in November, feels that he fits in, that he is surrounded by a style with which he identifies, in which he can express himself freely. Although he knows that this infatuation has an expiration date. He must make the most of it because he has seven months left to enjoy, with the particularity that the more he makes Barcelona fans enjoy it, the more numbers he will be buying so that Barça will have arguments to sign him and keep him as their property.
For now, the boy has already managed to increase his salary. Upon his arrival he made a huge financial effort to be able to comply with the club's fair play. He agreed to charge very little but luckily it was temporary. Seeing his performance, he soon renegotiated the figure and will finally receive 4 million for this course, far from a star salary.
The Portuguese, who has connected well with Iñigo Martínez and Gavi, as well as with his compatriot Cancelo, has not only found himself with a team and a coach who speak his language on the field. He has also had to pick up the slack from the beginning. The absences of Lewandowski and Raphinha, his theoretical forward partners, have left him as the sole leader of the attack. And João Félix, accustomed from a very young age to being a reference, has responded with five shots in Porto, another five in Granada and five more against Athletic. He multiplied.
Starting from the left, he gets involved in the game, with movements between the lines similar to those of Ronaldinho, another playmaker who found his habitat there. “He adapts very well to our square. His ideal position is the one he is playing in because I don't see him as a nine or a midfielder,” analyzes Xavi. “There he has the freedom to enter and leave, to open wide and to come and receive like the other day in Marc Guiu's goal. His control and passing were perfect,” the coach praises his vision. The other forwards are the beneficiaries: he has given four assists (two to Lewandowski and one to Lamine Yamal and Guiu).
João Félix's talent is beyond doubt. But now he has a commendable attitude, winning duels (5 per game) and recovering balls (3), in addition to having forced 17 fouls.
Author of three goals that could have been more if they had not found the woodwork three times (Mallorca, Sevilla and Athletic), Madrid is a special rival. After six Madrid derbies and the Champions League quarterfinals with Chelsea, they have still not been able to beat or win against the whites. “It's a good time to score,” Xavi slips. Aubameyang and Agüero were the last forwards to debut in a classic with a goal. Because finally João Félix has found the correct first violin score.
