Daniel Wass (33 years old) played 20 minutes at Atlético de Madrid with a shattered leg. And nothing more. He does not have and will not have any more official biography as an Atletico footballer. Yesterday, hours before the League began, two days before the premiere of his team, the Dane was transferred by surprise to Brondby, the club where he started. Not even seven months have passed since the announcement of his controversial and desperate arrival and he is already saying goodbye to him. With only half a game behind him and one of the most surreal and disconcerting journeys that are remembered by the Metropolitan.
His signing, in the winter market last year, was already rare. A little conflict and a little caprice. Atlético needed a right-back to patch up the untimely departure of the Englishman Trippier and the reports from the technical secretariat focused on the Dane, who played as a defensive midfielder at Valencia, but to whom the Big Data awarded some minutes of experience as a lane law. Although the current Ché institution does not forgive an opportunity to make money, the operation outraged its coach, Pepe Bordalás, who saw how a fundamental piece was stolen from him in the middle of the course. And he also stung at the mattress club itself, to which it sounded unnecessary to invest three million in January for someone who could be incorporated for free just a few months later. He ended his contract on June 30. But Simeone said yes or yes and nobody rules more than him in the entity of the stripes.
Wass signed for Atlético, a contract until the end of the season and one more, almost as a star signing. Someone important to fill a tremendous void and return Marcos Llorente to his natural position as a midfielder. In fact, Simeone summoned him almost as soon as he came out of his presentation and made him play neither more nor less than at the Camp Nou, against Barcelona. Vrsaljko completed another acting disaster and Cholo went to the Dane after the break.
Wass didn’t have time to do much. Shortly after, a brutal entry by Ferran Torres sent him straight to the hospital. Or so it should have been. But his boss wouldn’t let him. In a shocking image that went around the viral world, while being treated on the lawn by Dr. Celada, Simeone approached angrily, pushed the doctor away and grabbed the blond footballer roughly by the arm so that he would get up and continue playing. Atlético no longer had any more changes and with Cholo there are no, or they are not authorized, pain.
Wass had to finish the match, but obviously without natural mobility in his damaged leg. At the referee’s whistle, he lay down on the grass again, and Savic, Correa, Ferrán Torres and Jordi Alba approached the moving image of his pain after a while. The next morning, the player was examined and diagnosed with a grade II knee sprain. Wass was complaining about something. One month off.
When he was discharged, the footballer who a month before was a priority objective for the coach, mandatory, became part of the team’s furniture. He did not play again for a minute. Neither on the right side nor anywhere else. The person responsible for Simeone being singled out and disfigured by his unscrupulous behavior ceased to be considered. The technician ran away from answers when asked about the matter.
This summer, a new season, a new life, Wass appeared in all the pools as a footballer to do without. The leaks were unequivocal. However, the pre-season games began and the Dane insinuated himself as a useful player, much to Simeone’s liking for his versatility. Right back, right central and midfielder. Good handling of the ball, defensive sense and even a great goal against Cádiz for a kick from outside the area. Convincing.
And then, very much in his own way, an untimely transfer like this per season almost counts (Heitinga, Jurado, Thomas…), Atlético suddenly sells him. He announced yesterday that he is going to Brondby. One and a half million euros for the transfer, the corresponding saving of the token (almost two) and a courteous farewell message in the club’s official tweet: «Agreement with Brondby for the transfer of Wass. We wish you the best of luck in this new professional challenge!”
The player’s thing, a personal problem, the official spokesmen argued in a low voice. The fact is that Wass has already passed at Atlético. Six months later and 45 minutes into the game (half of them with a broken leg) he is no longer in Madrid.
