Saul Niguez Critiques Joao Felix's Work Ethic Amid Al-Nassr Move

Add as a preferred source on Google

Saul Niguez has expressed his views on Joao Felix's career, attributing the player's struggles at top clubs to a lack of work ethic. Felix, who recently joined Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League from Chelsea, had two spells with the Premier League team. Despite making 87 appearances, he couldn't secure a permanent spot under Enzo Maresca.

Felix permanently moved to Stamford Bridge in 2024 but struggled to establish himself as a regular starter. During the 2024-25 season, he started only 11 out of 22 matches for Chelsea across all competitions. In these appearances, he managed to score seven goals and assist twice. The Portuguese forward spent the latter half of last season on loan at AC Milan, scoring just two goals in 15 Serie A matches.

Saul, who recently transferred to Flamengo, shared insights from their time together at Atletico Madrid. He noted that Felix's form began declining during their two seasons as teammates. Felix's high-profile transfer from Benfica to Atletico in 2019 for a reported €127 million didn't meet expectations. He started just 73 out of 126 LaLiga games for Atletico and Barcelona, where he was loaned for the 2023-24 season.

During his time in LaLiga, Felix scored 32 league goals and provided 16 assists. Saul believes that Felix could have achieved more if he had put in more effort at Atletico. "Football is a team sport," Saul told COPE radio. "He has all the qualities to be an incredible player, but as good as you are, if you don't work, it's not enough."

Saul recalled hearing Paco Jemez say that talent without effort means nothing. "A lot of us tried to help Joao," Saul added, "but if you don't want it." Meanwhile, Al-Nassr's head coach Jorge Jesus acknowledged Felix's current fitness issues but remains optimistic about his potential return to form.

Coaching Perspectives on Future Potential

"Today we saw his first training match; he's completely out of it," Jesus commented on Felix's initial sessions with Al-Nassr. He stressed the importance of better preparation since Felix hasn't been training regularly. Despite these challenges, Jesus expressed confidence in Felix's abilities: "I believe in his football and I believe he will return to what he was at Benfica."

The journey ahead for Joao Felix involves overcoming fitness hurdles and rediscovering his form from earlier days at Benfica. With support from coaches and teammates alike, there's hope that he can reignite his career and fulfill his potential on the field.