Joao Felix Viciously Abused by Atletico Madrid Fans in Their La Liga Opener

• Atletico Madrid's fans are not happy with Joao Felix
• They abused him during their 3-1 win in their opening game of the season against Granada
• Felix remains one of the most expensive footballers in the world

Atletico Madrid made a winning start to their 2023/24 season by beating Granada 3-1 in La Liga. However, before the match kicked off, wantaway forward Joao Felix was abused by Atletico fans.

Felix has been linked with a move away from the club all summer, but no deal has materialized. He recently expressed his love for Barcelona, comments that eroded his relationship with Atleti's fans.

Felix did not play a single minute against Granada, a clear message that his services are no longer needed in Spain. He spent the second half of the 2022/23 season at Chelsea.

He arrived in Madrid from Benfica for a staggering €127 million but has so far failed to live up to that price tag. At 23, he remains one of the most exciting young players in the world.

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In 131 appearances for Atletico, he has scored just 34 goals and provided 18 assists, per Transfermarkt. He is definitely not a great fit for Diego Simeone's team, which employs a pragmatic and defensive style that does not suit the young Portuguese forward.

Felix abused by Atletico fans

Felix faced Atletico fans for the first time since he made the controversial remarks about Barcelona.

He was sent out to warm up after the match, but it was clear that was the wrong idea with some fans still in the stands. In a video posted online, expletive-filled abuse was directed towards the 23-year-old, forcing him to leave as a result, per Atletico Universe.

His Chelsea teammate, Cesar Azpilicueta, who now plays under Simeone, offered some words of support to the young attacker.

“It’s a complicated situation, I was his teammate at Chelsea, now at Atleti. Giving the maximum is what we have in our hands, giving the maximum for the club we represent, in this case Atleti," via Football Espana.

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For now, it appears there's no way back for Felix, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the summer transfer window.

Felix Barcelona confession

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that amid the uncertainty surrounding his future at Atletico Madrid, Felix revealed his admiration for Barcelona - upsetting his club's hierarchy even further.

After his loan spell with Chelsea, his situation with the Spanish club remains uncertain, and he has now openly shared his childhood aspirations of playing for the La Liga champions.