The Atletico Madrid fans crowding around the Vicente Calderon's main entrance ten minutes after the final whistle of Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg soon attracted the bright lights of a television crew.
“Saul selecion!” they chanted. Saul for the national team. Their 21-year-old home-grown player is supremely talented, but he’s yet to make his full debut for Spain. With Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Alonso, Silva and Mata ahead of him, plus his own teammates Koke and Gabi, it’s understandable why.
Spain have been blessed with a surfeit of midfield talent who helped conquer all, but on Wednesday Saul Niguez showed why he’s so highly rated. Eleven minutes into the game which he’d started brightly, he went past three of Bayern Munich’s Spanish internationals before threading a shot beyond David Alaba and Manuel Neuer to score the only goal.
“It was the most beautiful goal of my career and the most important,” said the versatile Elche born player, one of five Atletico youth graduates in the team.
“I could see the move very well, he got away from the first man well, and could keep going,” added his manager Diego Simeone. “He is very strong, good in the one-on-ones. When the ball went in we were clearly very happy with the move. Saul is in a brilliant moment; it makes you full of joy to see all that is happening for him. He deserves it for the work he does, the persistence he has shown, the motivation he has. Although he has a lot in which he can improve.”
• Read more: Andy Mitten on a sublime moment from Saul Niguez, and a show of strength from Atletico Madrid
• Also see: Super Saul Niguez puts Atletico Madrid up against Bayern Munich – in pictures
Saul, who has scored more goals than any Spaniard in the Champions League this season, had long showed promise.
Atletico sold 40 per cent of his sale rights for €1.5 million (Dh6.3m) in 2011 when he was 16, with Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes owning them.
Barcelona have an option on the player going back to the transfer which took David Villa to Atletico in 2013. If Atletico are going to sell then Barcelona have the option to match or better any offer. They can also pay his €60 million release clause, but for now Saul is going nowhere. He's playing every week in one of the best teams in the world; he's improving all the time.
Would he even get in the Barca side which seldom rotates players?
Saul showed moments of magic last term. A seventh minute substitute for Koke in the Madrid derby, Saul soon made an impact by scoring a spectacular overhead kick which put his team 2-0 up.
This has been Saul’s breakthrough season. He’s started all 11 of Atleti’s Champions League matches and 24 of their 35 league games as Simeone rotates more with 16 regular players, a bigger trusted pool than those who won the title in 2014.
When Pep Guardiola was asked if Saul's goal had reminded him of Lionel Messi, the Bayern Munich manager offered a measured response.
“I admire Saul’s quality a lot, but you cannot really compare him with Messi,” said the Catalan.
“I have seen him before, he is a great player, Spanish football has another great talent.”
When asked if Spain should choose him to help win a third successive European championship, Simeone said: “It’s up to the trainer of the national selection.”
Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque was at the Calderon on Wednesday sitting alongside Atletico-supporting King Felipe. He must decide if he’s to take the player to France in June.
If he does, Saul will give him several options. In this season alone, he had played 18 games as a central midfielder, 14 on the right wing, four on the left, two as a holding midfielder and one as a central defender at home to Eibar. He’s already represented Spain in four different age groups up to under 21 level.
The delighted Atletico fans outside the Calderon think he’s ready to make the step up.
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