Rio Ferdinand has said that Atletico Madrid star, Joao Felix was unhappy with Diego Simeone’s tactical approach in their 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
City recorded a slim win over the LaLiga champions at the Etihad, with Phil Foden coming in off the bench to break the stubborn defence with a through pass to Kevin De Bruyne.
Atletico Madrid did not register a shot on goal in the first period of the Champions League quarter final tie at the Etihad Stadium.
De Bruyne struck in the second-half to seal the slim victory for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Diego Simeone has faced criticism over his side’s defensive approach to games, a tactic they deployed to knock Manchester United out of the competition in the round of 16.
Ferdinand was impressed with Felix’s display but feels Simeone’s tactics are stifling the highly rated youngster.
Ferdinand was asked if he thinks Felix would have enjoyed any part of the game, he told BT Sport, “The final whistle.
“I can’t imagine he sits there and enjoys playing the way he’s asked to play [by Simeone].
“For a player like Joao Felix, he can’t be sitting there on the plane home going, ‘they got the best out of me, they continually get the best out of me as a player’. He won’t be saying that.”
