Atlético de Madrid returned from the international break yesterday with a clash against the bottom team in the league and with a few rotations in the starting line-up. Simeone is aware of this month's demands and left some international players on the bench, bringing them in during the second half. However, one of them did not play a single minute against Valencia, not even when the score was 2-0 after Antoine Griezmann's goal.
Nahuel Molina is going through his most difficult season at Atlético de Madrid, being overtaken by Marcos Llorente when it comes to taking the wing. Right now, the Spaniard is one of the best in the national scene, scoring two goals in the first five games. For this reason, it seems that the Argentine has lost all of Simeone's confidence, who's always wanted to give him opportunities.
Nahuel Molina is in Serious Trouble
The former Udinese player has been under the spotlight since his arrival at the red-white team during the summer of 2022, being heavily criticized. With the exception of the end of the 2022-23 campaign, the reality is that Nahuel Molina's level has been very low, especially in terms of defense. However, this season is being the worst for the Argentine, completely losing the starting position to Marcos Llorente, who's on a hot streak.
The Argentine started as a substitute, once again, after having played minutes with Argentina during the last international break. However, his teammate Rodrigo de Paul was a starter and Julián Alvarez joined in during the second half to score the last goal for Atlético de Madrid. Nahuel Molina didn't play, just like last matchday when Atlético de Madrid visited Athletic Club.
The world champion has gone two consecutive games without playing for the red-white team, a very clear symptom of his current situation. Simeone doesn't want to keep Marcos Llorente away from the right flank, where he seems to have fully adapted this season. Therefore, the Argentine's future is gradually becoming darker, heading towards the exit door for 2025 .
A Missed Opportunity
The reality is that Nahuel Molina had a great chance to start his comeback, starting in the match against Espanyol. However, he was not up to the task, being substituted at half-time to make way for Marcos Llorente. Since then, he hasn't worn the red and white shirt again, making it clear that he is not important to Simeone .
The season is very long and he'll certainly have another chance to earn more minutes, but he knows that it won't be easy to regain his position. For now, Atlético de Madrid faces four games in the next two weeks, needing to make rotations with total certainty. It is not known when the opportunity will come, but he should take advantage of it if he wants to regain all the lost prominence .