Vitolo: A Promising Signing That Never Took Off at Atleti
A few months ago, Vitolo, that player who generated so much expectation, retired from football. His recent history is marked by that signing for Atlético de Madrid in the summer of 2017, a strategic move at a time when the club could not immediately register players.
The idea was brilliant: Vitolo, an old desire of Cholo Simeone, would play on loan at Las Palmas until January, returning to the club that saw him born. However, the reality was very different. His departure from Sevilla was surrounded by controversy, which affected his subsequent performance.
Once at Atlético, injuries became his worst enemy. After chaining few injuries from 2013 to 2016, he began a series of physical problems that prevented him from finding regularity. Even in his loan to Las Palmas, injuries prevented him from playing continuously.
He arrived at Atlético without rhythm and had to adapt to Cholo’s system, coinciding with the return of an already adapted Diego Costa. Despite the difficulties, when Vitolo managed to be healthy, Simeone trusted his talent and imbalance.
However, injuries prevented him from chaining many consecutive games. Even the subsequent loans to Getafe and his return to Las Palmas failed to relaunch his career. That promising Vitolo of 2017 never exploded at the Metropolitano, leaving the feeling of a missed opportunity. A journey between Las Palmas and Atleti that aimed high, but unfortunately, did not come to fruition.
