2-0 against real Madrid December 12 last year was the first defeat of Atletico Madrid in this league, but also an inflection for Hector Herrera, which went from deserved and praised ownership, for the performance it gave the team, to muscle injuries, of covid-19 already a run of 22 games in a row without starting at eleven that ended this Sunday.
He was chosen by the coach Diego Simeone for the midfield visiting Benito Villamarín, in this case near Boil Resurrection, due to the loss per cycle of five yellows Marcos Llorente (was not even available Geoffrey condogbia); a new opportunity for him that lasted 64 minutes.
He was replaced by Víctor Machín, “Vitolo”, after a discreet match, with ups and downs, in that competition which he contends against the circumstances of recent times, after they have gained trust that he did not have from Simeone at the beginning of last season and be crucial at the beginning of LaLiga that Atlético drew … until that derby.
His moment before that meeting it was a common title, even almost fixed; even fresh from another muscle ailment that had taken him away from the previous three collapses. He had won it with his football, with his direction of central midfielder in the 5-3-2 for which Simeone had already changed. Next to him, Koke and Marcos Llorente. Confidence was visible in him from the technician.
Atlético then lost it through injury. He felt it. He was first dropped in eight games due to muscle damage. After replacing a shock, he reappeared for six minutes against Cádiz, from the bench, to increase the filming … And covid-19 appeared. He gave a positive result before taking on Celta, in the same month, February 9, to start another period of loss. Out of five meetings.
“Undoubtedly, Herrera had started the season very well. He had that injury that did not allow him to maintain continuity above all, which is what footballers want. And then the guys who are big competed very well for that position Lemar, Koke, Llorente, Kondogbia… And the pressure to play is starting to build. It’s important because we need it. And we need Herrera. Now he was very well on his return from the injury and what happened to him appears and many of us have to live, which is the coronavirus Diego Simeone reviewed on February 12, when he was suffering from covid-19.
“He’s a working boy, who wants to be well and with an influence within the important group “, he remarked about Herrera, who then it was a substitute for two more games and suffered a family drama with the death of his mother, before returning to the competition with the 16 minutes he played against Alavés and Sevilla to return to the property against Betis, 22 matches later.
HÉCTOR HERRERA NUMBERS IN ATHLETICS:
- – Games played: 45.
- – Starting games: 25.
- – Complete matches: 10.
- – Matches without minutes on the bench: 20.
- – Matches that are not named: 1.
- – Matches withdrawn due to injury: 22.
- – Longest series of games played: 17.
- – Longest series of starting matches: 6.
- – Minutes: 2,482.
- – Goals: 1 (2-2 against Juventus in Metropolitano).
- – Assistance: 2.