Something is off with Rodrigo Mendoza at Atlético Madrid. The central midfielder, who arrived from Elche in January as one of La Liga’s brightest prospects, has failed to make a convincing impact in his first months with the red-and-white stripes. His playing time has been limited—just 423 minutes spread across seven matches—partly due to an ankle sprain he suffered on March 7 against Real Sociedad, just as he was beginning to earn minutes in Simeone’s rotation system to give Koke and Cardoso a breather.
That injury proved to be a turning point. By the time he returned, everything had changed.
Before getting hurt, Mendoza had seen action in almost every game: 55 minutes against Betis, 56 against Rayo, 61 against Oviedo in La Liga, 7 against Bruges in the Champions League, and 23 against Betis in the Copa del Rey. In total, he had accumulated 248 minutes before the injury. Afterward, he was an unused substitute in all remaining Copa matches (including the semifinal against Barcelona and the final against Real Sociedad), sat out all Champions League fixtures, and only featured in three La Liga games (71 minutes vs. Sevilla, 62 vs. Elche, and 73 vs. Valencia), with zero minutes against Athletic Club and Celta Vigo. Clearly, something is not working for Mendoza.
Obed Vargas, who arrived in the same transfer window, has now moved ahead of him. Initially, Vargas didn’t play a single minute against Bruges, Rayo, or Oviedo, and his total playing time before Mendoza’s injury was just 65 minutes. But after Mendoza got hurt, Vargas became the one to cement his place in Simeone’s plans, while Mendoza’s involvement has faded. It was particularly telling that Mendoza didn’t get a single minute against Celta (Vargas played 21) even after Simeone lost Cardoso to injury for the remainder of the season. Despite being short-handed, Simeone still didn’t turn to Mendoza.
Mendoza is a player who provides passing lanes, but the Cholo still sees him as raw. He needs to be more incisive and push deeper into the opponent’s half. Signed from Elche by Mateu Alemany, and pursued by clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, the 21-year-old arrived with the reputation of a potential Pedri-like talent—indeed, the Barcelona midfielder himself has pointed to Mendoza as the player most similar to his own style. But this is an investment in the future, and Mendoza still has significant room for improvement without the ball and in defense, two areas that are red flags for Simeone. Those who don’t meet his standards don’t play. Mendoza must apply himself. For now, the future looks brighter for Vargas.
