Felix always maintained that his dream was to play for Barcelona and after a difficult last few years, his dream of donning the Blaugrana colours has finally come true. The Atletico Madrid loanee has taken to life at Barcelona like a duck to water, creating chances and scoring goals to give Xavi’s attack a new dimension. In this piece, we look at Felix’s journey from Benfica to Barcelona and why he is finally where he belongs. **Remember, sign up on Betking, the best online sports betting platform in Nigeria, to gain access to the best odds, betting offers and bet predictions on a daily basis. You should also visit our blog to take advantage of professional betting tips and well analysed football matches from all over Europe.** **Joao Felix: Benfica to Atletico Madrid** Felix moved from Portuguese giants Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019 for an eye-watering €126 million, making the entire football world sit up and take notice. Questions were asked too. Was he the perfect fit for Diego Simeone? A manager who appeared to have a disdain for skillful but slender attackers, or was he just a consequence of the new found wealth at the club’s disposal after the sale of Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona for €120m? Felix’s time at Atletico was largely disappointing. He never quite grasped the idea of playing predominantly on the backfoot and there was no immediate place for his qualities in a rigid 4-4-2 shape. The Portugal international scored 34 goals and contributed 16 assists in four years at the Wanda Metropolitano, not shabby numbers but far from great. There was public criticism too, from his manager, who questioned the player’s commitment and left him out of certain big games. The prospect of a divorce loomed large at the end of the 2021/22 season, but nobody could pay what Atleti wanted so he remained at the club, disillusioned and unhappy. **Loan move to Chelsea** Felix gained some reprieve, after returning from a disappointing World Cup in Qatar, knowing his time in the Spanish capital was at an end. The January window offered an escape route and despite the ridiculous loan fee involved, Chelsea, flush with cash and apparent lack of direction under the stewardship of co-owner Todd Boehly, paid the fee and brought Felix in for a 6-month revival mission. Safe to say, it did not work. His Chelsea debut lasted less than an hour. A mistimed tackle saw him sent off against Fulham, and while there were a few high points, (a fine finish against West Ham), his time in London will not be fondly remembered. There was always the hope that he would amount to something great to force Chelsea’s hand in negotiations with Atletico, and he showed glimpses of poise, flair and, a silkiness in possession. Still, those were never evident on a consistent basis. He scored 4 goals and provided 2 assists in his time at Stamford Bridge, hardly enough numbers to make the club spend €100m on a permanent deal, the fee Atletico demanded. **Thriving at Barcelona** After returning to Atletico, there appeared to be no way forward for him. Nobody was ready to pay what the LaLiga side demanded and the ones who could, didn’t really need him. There was even talk of a move to Saudi Arabia but Felix was adamant his immediate future remained in Europe. His desperation led to controversial comments [in an interview where he said:](https://www.intothecalderon.com/2023/7/19/23799465/joao-felix-atletico-madrid-barcelona-laliga-transfer-rumors-simeone-xavi-laporta) "Barcelona has always been my first choice and I’d love to join Barca as my next club." Simeone reacted angrily to the interview, stripping Felix of his jersey number and keeping him on the fringes of the squad throughout pre-season. A move to Barcelona eventually happened, albeit on loan, and the tears streamed down Felix’s face on his unveiling — he got his dream move.
He has started Barca’s last 7 games and now looks a permanent fixture in Xavi’s side, a player the coaches look to for that creative spark. He is now receiving the adulation he missed out on during those 4 troubled years with Simeone. Despite having a quiet game in the Clasico defeat at the weekend, he remained willing to get on the ball and make things happen, in stark contrast to his final season at Atleti. While it remains to be seen whether club president Joan Laporta can find a way to bring him in on a permanent basis, one thing is certain Felix is loving his football again and Barcelona must enjoy it while it lasts.
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