Samu reflects on Atlético exit: “Things happened that I don’t want to talk about”

“Things happened that I don’t want to talk about,” Samu said as he reflected on leaving Atlético. In an interview with Radio Marca, the forward spoke of a painful period while also expressing his gratitude to the club: “I’m very grateful to Atlético. Without them, I might not be where I am today.” He also described the story as “like a film”, saying he had experienced it intensely.

Samu said he held no resentment towards Simeone. “It’s a clash of interests,” he said, adding that these were matters from the past and that he was not one to hold a grudge.

The comments come as the forward focuses on football again. After many months out because of a serious injury, he returned to action with Porto, where Do Dragao gave him an ovation. Recalling when he learned how serious the injury was, Samu admitted that his first thought was the World Cup. He said he cried after the match in which he returned to play, describing the moment as “a release”.

The recovery was emotionally demanding, he explained: “There are days when you don’t even feel like getting out of bed.” Progress could be followed by harder days, he said, making it “a whole range of emotions”.