Atletico Madrid icon on Andrea Berta

Again in March, Arsenal appointed Andrea Berta as their new sporting director, with the Italian having accomplished a swift return to soccer following his Atletico Madrid exit at the beginning of 2025. His time at Los Colchoneros, which totalled over 11 years, ended on a bitter be aware as he was now not deemed mandatory by the membership, and now his dealing with of a sure matter has been known as into query.

In July, Saul Niguez left Atleti after 17 years, however it was in the course of the earlier summer time that he was informed he had no future on the RiyadhAir Metropolitano. He was informed this by head coach Diego Simeone, and as per Cadena SER (by way of Diario AS), he opened up on that assembly with the Argentine.

“The season that I used to be going to go away, he got here and informed me that he didn’t depend on me. He himself was even stunned at how I answered him – I simply thanked him.

“It’s tough to say to a participant who has been with you for thus a few years: ‘Hey, subsequent 12 months I’d fairly you aren’t right here. I choose to produce other gamers’. You may throw issues in his face, however I used to be the other: ‘Mister, you’ve given me the chance to fulfil my dream, to play for Atletico Madrid, you’ve taught me quite a bit, thanks’.

Saul: “Andrea Berta was not completely trustworthy with me”

Whereas Saul credited Simeone along with his no-nonsense strategy to that delicate subject, he criticised the one taken by then-sporting director Berta, who handled him earlier than his mortgage transfer to Sevilla in summer time 2024.

“I used to be a participant of the academy, who I’ve all the time tried to assist the membership, though there are individuals who reproached me for not reducing my wage… I lowered my wage when Atletico requested me to, I’ve been paid in promissory notes after they have requested me to, even now I’ve completed issues in order that they’ve amenities. I’ve all the time stated sure to every thing.

“I used to be very stunned by that damaging vitality that was round me. There have been individuals I didn’t care about. Miguel Ángel (Gil Marin), (Enrique) Cerezo, Cholo… These individuals confirmed it to me. However on this case, the sporting director, Andrea Berta, was not completely trustworthy with me, and I’ve even seen proof. He denied this, however I’ve seen proof. I informed him to not misinform me. All that harm me, as a result of if he had completed issues proper with me, he would have sat down with me, we’d have talked to one another’s faces and we’d have regarded for an answer.”