A recent gesture could prove to be much-needed encouragement for Joao Felix. The winger has been under fire lately at defending La Liga Champions FC Barcelona for a few flaws. But because of his impressive tactical play, runs into the box, and stellar performances against his parent club, Felix is now deemed a ‘top-level technician’ by a former Real Madrid star, giving the star some immunity, at least in media space. He went on to defend the Portugal international’s style of play and how he’s adapted to adjusting to new ways.
FC Barcelona is in a clear state of conundrum with a mixture of performances this season. The team managed to pull out some brilliant wins, like the recent one against Real Sociedad but also faced humiliating defeats. However, Felix was recently defended from becoming one of the scapegoats for Blaugrana’s mishaps.
Joao Felix was highly lauded by rival icon Guti for ‘adjusting his body’
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While Joao Felix faces friction with coaches at both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, he has found an unexpected shoulder in Jose Maria Gutierrez aka Guti. Gutierrez, captivated by the technical brilliance, stands as a buffer against the mounting doubts swirling around the 24-year-old. Speaking to El Chiringuito TV, he stated, “Look at how he adjusts his body; the ball doesn’t fit him perfectly, but he adjusts his body to be able to hit it. He is a top-level technician.” Felix’s loan until June 2024, driven by clashes with Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, seemed promising to FC Barcelona. However, there’s been a twist in the tale.
💎 @GUTY14HAZ DEFIENDE a @joaofelix70 y pone el EJEMPLO de NAZARIO.
🌟 “Sabíamos que correría 6/7 veces pero haría gol”. pic.twitter.com/dPESjozAoQ
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) January 23, 2024
The 24-year-old’s on-field display in the latter stages at FC Barcelona, with just 4 goals and 2 assists in 17 La Liga games, hasn’t convinced Xavi to exercise the purchase option. A reporter did mention that ‘Xavi does not count on him for next season‘ and the player had lost prominence at the club. Reportedly, the upper management would consider only a loan to retain him. Amid all the chaos, Guti didn’t shy away from praising him and made a bold comparison with R9!
Guti compares Felix to Ronaldo Nazario, for his clinical goal-scoring process
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In the beginning, the player was expected to provide a longer hand in the club’s defensive movements when needed. But his ineffectiveness has now become the issue. His performance in crucial matches like both the El Clasico’s including the Super Cup final added to his disadvantage. However, the star has 3 goals and 1 assist in the UEFA Champions League and also scored the match-winning goal against the parent team in December. Guti backed him, comparing Joao Felix to Ronaldo Nazario.
The soccer legend stated, “Today I remember Ronaldo (Nazario). You knew that he was going to run 6 or 7 times alone. He was going to have two chances that he was going to score a goal. I mean, we knew that, and we let him, and we ran for him many times. But it is obvious, and this type of player is like that.” Joao Felix was also considered a must-have on the team, serving as a signal for Xavi and Co. to retain the Portuguese star.
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