Arnau Ortiz, who started the season as a starter in the first LaLiga game, is now without minutes at Atlético de Madrid. The Catalan winger, who arrived from the reserve team after an outstanding preseason and a successful season at the club from the province of León, has been part of the red and white squad since the beginning of the season, but since his last appearance on September 16 he has not taken the field again.
The signing of the season, who joined the squad after Diego Simeone's decision to keep him in the first team, made his debut against Málaga at the Metropolitano and also played in games against Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Osasuna. In those five games he contributed positively, but from then on the Argentine coach has opted for other options on the right wing.
According to Simeone himself, Arnau's absence is not due to a lack of preparation, but rather to the high competition that exists within the squad. With the return of players like Julián Álvarez and Sorloth, and the presence of Jonathan David, Carlos Baena and the young Kang-in Lee, the squad has become denser and the opportunities have been reduced. “Being in an important team generates these situations,” explained the coach in the press conference prior to the visit to Espanyol. “When you're on a strong team, you have to be prepared, because the coach tells you 'you're going to get in' and the excuses of 'I just haven't played' or 'I haven't played in a long time' aren't valid.”
The coach stressed that physical and technical preparation is constant and that the players must be ready to respond when it is their turn. “The goal is to always be prepared so that, when it is their turn to play, they are prepared and respond,” he added. Thus, Arnau continues training with the aim of taking advantage of any opportunity that comes his way.
At the moment, the winger does not have a guaranteed position in the starting XI, but Simeone's philosophy of keeping players ready and motivated suggests that Arnau can appear in the picture again if the situation requires it. Atlético de Madrid's next game will be a key moment to evaluate whether the coach decides to give the young promise minutes.