It's been a strange season for Samuel Lino, as there were many expectations for the Brazilian after his great first year as a rojiblanco footballer. He was able to be chosen as the best player of the colchonero team last season, perfectly adapting to the left wing-back position. Simeone's change of formation notably affected him, at least at the beginning, although now he is able to show his best version on the field again.
Additionally, Conor Gallagher started at a good level on the left wing, despite that not being his usual position at Chelsea or the English national team. The British international has scored two goals so far, but he is playing a more secondary role lately due to the improvement of the former Gil Vicente player. It has become one of the main battles of the last month, and the Argentine coach will have to make a decision based on the opponent.
Message to Samuel Lino
Although there are other teammates who have been showing more consistency, the reality is that the Brazilian has improved his level in recent weeks. After a challenging start, where he began as a left midfielder, Samuel Linois able to get closer to his version from last season. He scored in two consecutive matches (Real Mallorca and Getafe), earning a starting spot in the Madrid classic against Real Madrid.
He really performed well at the Santiago Bernabéu, but his lack of precision in the final meters prevented a victory for the rojiblancos. In fact, Simeone had already warned days before that they needed to have "more calmness" when resolving dangerous plays, precisely the pending task. Looking ahead to tomorrow's match, that left wing will be one of Cholo's uncertainties, having two options to complete the starting eleven.
Two Different Players for Simeone
Obviously, the strengths of Samuel Lino and Conor Gallagher are almost opposite, with the Englishman being a more physical player to give consistency to the midfield. Meanwhile, the Brazilian stands out in one-on-one situations, being a more threatening footballer when attacking down the wings. The advantage for the former Chelsea player is that he didn't have minutes against Real Madrid, potentially having the opportunity to start and give his competitor a rest.
We must not forget that Rodrigo Riquelme is also waiting for his opportunity, as he is having few minutes this season. The academy player started 2025 with a great performance against Elche, but it doesn't seem to be enough to get closer to fighting for a starting spot. His future is uncertain, although Simeone has never hesitated to praise him when he has lived up to expectations.