Joao Felix has been urged to show focus and wait for his turn to come again at Atletico Madrid as fresh doubts surround his future under Diego Simeone.

The Portugal forward was a teenage prodigy when he arrived from Benfica in July 2019, acquired for an eye-watering €126million and hailed as a future superstar.

He has since managed just a modest 29 goals and 16 assists in 122 games for Atletico, and although he has been a LaLiga winner in that time, Joao Felix has fallen short of expectations.

Head coach Simeone this week looked to take responsibility, saying: "All those bad aspects from Joao's performances mean I am doing even worse. All his frustrations are caused because I am not capable to give him everything he needs in order to explode that football talent he has."

Simeone explained: "We need him but lately he has not been able to succeed in what is most important for him, which is scoring. Obviously, that frustrates him. We need him and those goals will come as a consequence of his work."

Those comments came before Atletico were held 0-0 by Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Joao Felix seen throwing down his substitute bib in frustration after spending the game on the sidelines.

When Simeone made his last substitution in the 79th minute, taking off Antoine Griezmann, he opted to replace the forward with midfielder Axel Witsel, despite needing a goal.

Joao Felix's frustration was clear to see, but team-mate Geoffrey Kondogbia said: "It is normal. We all want to play.

"It is something personal, we can just give him advice. It also happened to me. Sometimes you're upset.

"This happens in football, but it is not serious. You just have to wait for your time to come and try [your best] as everybody does."

The question is whether this should be happening to a player in whom Atletico have invested a huge amount, and also whether Simeone and Joao Felix can continue to collaborate without their relationship becoming toxic.

Spanish sports daily Marca described the alliance on Thursday as being "at the worst moment", saying the current situation is "unsustainable".

Atletico bought immense promise when they acquired Joao Felix and would have expected him to be delivering consistently by now, but the 22-year-old continues to flit between the starting XI and bench.

He has played 11 games this season, starting only seven times and spending recent games largely as a spectator. His goal involvements have been limited to three assists, all of which came in the opening LaLiga game against Getafe.

When Joao Felix has played from the first whistle, Simeone has brought him off six times already this term.

During his Atleti career, he has started only 80 times, been used as a substitute in 42 games, and has been withdrawn on 58 occasions.

Defender Jose Gimenez did not observe Joao Felix's moment of anger during the Brugge game, but he suggested it was understandable and even desirable.

"I imagine that he got mad because he did not play," Gimenez said. "I want in my team rebel players that want to play, that you can see that they want to play and that when they have the chance to play they show this rage, want to give it all and earn the minutes in the pitch that they deserve."

Next for Atletico is a LaLiga clash with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, when Simeone's use of Joao Felix will inevitably be scrutinised again, especially in light of the apparent show of dissent in the Brugge game.

Before the clash with the Belgian champions, Simeone had said: "Joao is a very important player for this club and also for the team. If he keeps following the path of being involved and understand that the most important thing is the team, the rest will come naturally."

The coach's team sheet for the Athletic game could be telling for their future collaboration.

Diego Simeone was full of praise for match-winner Renan Lodi after the left-back's two goals fired Atletico Madrid to an important 2-0 win over Celta Vigo.

The Brazilian struck once in each half, with both goals being assisted by Geoffrey Kondogbia as Atletico moved into LaLiga's top four ahead of rivals Barcelona, who host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

Lodi scored his first brace for Atletico Madrid in 105 appearances in all competitions, becoming the only defender to score two goals in a game for the club during Simeone's time as coach.

Kondogbia, meanwhile, set up two goals in the same league game for the second time in his career, last doing so for Valencia against Sevilla in March 2018.

Speaking after the win, Simeone was keen to highlight not only Lodi's quality but also his work-rate, saying the full-back fully deserved his moment of glory.

"[I am] very happy for Renan," the Atletico boss said. 

"Last season he had fewer minutes than in his first year, but we always told him that due to his characteristics he could be very dangerous.

"The most important thing is what is not seen, [how] he works.

"[Fellow defender] Reinildo arrived [from Lille in January] and the first thing he did was try to help him. They are [both] noble, whole people, who are committed whether they play or not.

"In the end football rewards [those people], giving you moments like today."

Atletico Madrid boosted their hopes of a top-four finish in LaLiga, as Renan Lodi netted twice in a hard-fought 2-0 home win over Celta Vigo.

Towards the end of a turgid first period, Lodi fired a deflected effort past Matias Diruto to give Diego Simeone's team the lead, then volleyed in a second on the hour, with Geoffrey Kondogbia providing assists for both goals. 

Simeone's solid rearguard stood firm as Atletico closed out the win in the latter stages, piling the pressure on top-four rivals Barcelona, who can move level with the Spanish champions by beating Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

After Atletico started slowly, Reinildo was forced into a brilliant block by Franco Cervi after 15 minutes.

Correa failed to meet Marcos Llorente's inviting cut-back at the other end, but Atletico did break the deadlock on 35 minutes.

Lodi was the scorer, beating Hugo Mallo before firing a low shot past Diruto, who looked to have been wrong-footed by a touch from the Celta skipper.

Angel Correa scored a sensational goal from almost the halfway line as Atletico Madrid fought out a pulsating 2-2 LaLiga draw with Villarreal on Sunday.

Correa stunned the Estadio de la Ceramica with his sublime early strike, but the hosts pulled level before half-time through Pau Torres, shortly after Gerard Moreno had seen a penalty saved by Jan Oblak.

Alberto Moreno thought he had sealed a fifth consecutive top-flight win for Unai Emery's side before the hour mark, yet Atleti salvaged a point thanks to Geoffrey Kondogbia's first goal for the club, although the midfielder's match ended with a red card deep into stoppage time.

The result moved Diego Simeone's side up to fourth, while Villarreal remained four points behind their opponents in eighth.

Atleti went ahead after 10 minutes thanks to Correa's audacious strike, the Argentina international intercepting Parejo's sloppy pass and firing over Geronimo Rulli from just inside the Villarreal half.

Alberto Moreno struck the post soon after, before he won a penalty when Thomas Lemar handled his shot inside the area in the 23rd minute.

Gerard Moreno's weak spot-kick was kept out by Oblak, though, with Parejo's follow-up ruled out for handball following a pitchside VAR review.

The hosts did pull level six minutes later, however, Torres bundling in from close range after Oblak spilled a Parejo free-kick at his feet.

Villarreal deservedly went ahead in the 58th minute when Alberto Moreno latched on to Gerard Moreno's pass and found the back of the net via a signifiant deflection from the onrushing Oblak. 

Simeone's men went back to the Spanish capital with a point, though, when Kondogbia's 20-yard strike slipped through the grasp of Rulli in the 67th minute, before the 28-year-old goalscorer received a second yellow card for a foul on Yeremi Pino in added time.

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