Joao Felix has sent out a strong message to Atletico fans after scoring in Barcelona’s 3-0 win over his parent club.
Atletico supporters burned a replica of his shirt and spat on Felix’s plaque outside the ground before the game, making their feelings about the forward pretty clear.
Yet Felix insists he’s not the “bad guy” and claims fans don’t really know what went on during his time at Atletico.
“As I said before, the fans in the stands do not know the things that happened here during the time I’ve been here,” he said.
“What they say from the outside is that I get along poorly with my former teammates, and that’s not true, as you could see I was just now talking with Samuel [Lino] and Lemar, and everyone who passed by hugged me, came to talk to me and asked how I was, my family, and everything else, so you can see that I have nothing against them and they have nothing against me.
“The fans don’t know what happened here inside, I perfectly understand their reactions, but I shouldn’t be seen as the bad guy in this situation.”
Felix didn’t help his cause by saying it was his dream to play for Barcelona while he was still an Atletico player. The forward was subsequently granted a loan move to Xavi’s side but looks set to return to Atletico in the summer.
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
