Rodrigo De Paul is experiencing his best season as a player for Atlético de Madrid. The Argentine midfielder has achieved the consistency that was so often demanded of him and has gone from villain to hero among the fans. Besides being a leader on the field, he is also one in the locker room, a captain without an armband whose year is on par with the best in the world.
Atlético de Madrid's fans and journalists have always been very critical of the world champion, as was normal. It seemed like he chose the matches in which to give his best performance, while in others he didn't feel like being competitive. Everything has changed this year, as noted by the famous journalist, Miguel Quintana, who has dedicated some words to De Paul.
A Fundamental Footballer
Miguel Quintana presented his editorial of the day talking about a great surprise for him this season, which is Rodrigo De Paul. "The old De Paul would have stepped onto the field against Getafe to see what happens, however, it was quite the opposite. He was one of the most energetic in a great Atlético de Madrid, pushing to achieve a landslide victory to arrive with great morale at the Madrid classic."
"Rodrigo De Paul has gone from selecting matches with Atlético to facing each one, even the Copa matches, as if it were the last of a World Cup with Messi. It may be that the 4-4-2 formation has benefited him, or Giuliano Simeone's entry fits perfectly, but let's not fool ourselves. This change of mindset comes exclusively from his change in attitude, it is something strictly personal."
World-Class
At this level, it is not strange to say that Rodrigo De Paul is one of the best midfielders in the world. This is supported by advanced metrics and statistics, which explain that he is one of the best pass filters on the planet. Atlético de Madrid's great performance has the Argentine player as its engine and conductor.
Meanwhile, as long as Rodrigo De Paul maintains this level, Simeone's team will have assured soccer in the midfield. If he manages to maintain this for more than a year, he will be an absolute idol among Atlético de Madrid's fans.