Earlier this week it was confirmed that Atletico Madrid midfielder Hector Herrera would be leaving the club at the end of the season, but Diego Simeone will continue starting him.
Free to leave in the summer without a fee, Herrera has played out his three year deal with Atleti since signing from Porto in 2019. Failing to establish himself in the starting line-up throughout his time, Herrera raised eyebrows amongst the Atleti fanbase after the move was announced this Wednesday. Having put in some excellent performances in recent weeks and started three straight matches, he’ll be leaving after his most fruitful moment in an Atleti shirt.
Diego Simeone was full of praise for Herrera though. Estadio Deportivo reported on Simeone’s press conference ahead of their match with Real Betis on Sunday night.
“I have no doubt [that his move] will change absolutely nothing and that it will give him strength, with the peace of mind that he knows what the future holds for him and he can finish his career in Europe with Atletico de Madrid, like the gentleman he is.”
“Herrera has been training very well, but the manager, myself, did not give him the minutes he deserved because others played instead and those are the choices a manager has to make.”
Continuing onto the more pressing match ahead, Simeone evaluated Herrera’s recent performances.
“He has done what he has been doing up until now, with authority, personality, balance and energy, giving the team the fluidity it needs in the middle of the park. We hope he continues in the same vein.”
Herrera will likely be crucial for Simeone in the coming weeks. Without Geoffrey Kondogbia, who is injured, there is a good chance that the Mexican plays a significant role in the return leg against Manchester United. A potential swan song in the making.
