Jefferson Savarino – Atletico Mineiro’s savvy playmaker
Jefferson Savarino is an example of the high-level scouting and player development in Major League Soccer as he was signed by Real Salt Lake as a youngster, developed as one of their star players, helping his side get into the playoffs as an opportunity to play under former Venezuelan National Team coach, Rafael Dudamel proved too enticing for the 23-year-old. He joined Dudamel’s Atletico Mineiro in January as his manager was then replaced by Jorge Sampaoli as the Argentine tactician has taken the Venezuelan’s game to the next level. Savarino is developing into a creatively well-rounded and high-level playmaker that will be key for Atletico Mineiro in their campaign for the Brasiliero and Venezuela in their Copa America campaign next year.
Savarino started the season as a touchline hugging winger in Atletico Mineiro’s state championship, Campeonato Mineiro match against America Mineiro, maintaining a wide position and waiting for switch balls to his flank or for his teammates to work passes into him in space. He received the ball in a 1v1 against his fullback to beat his man and drive a brilliant cut-back into the box which was ballooned over by a teammate. Savarino is a high-level crosser in curling deliveries onto the heads of teammates at the back-post as well as creating a yard of space in 1v1s to wrap his right foot around the ball to guide a cross into the box. He managed to gain an assist using this method before cutting inside from the right flank to elegantly play a through ball in behind for Marrony to cut back and lob the ball over the keeper and into the goal.
However, despite his performance in the Campeonato Mineiro, Jorge Sampaoli would utilize Savarino in a shared false-nine role with former Chelsea and Vitesse Arnheim loanee, Nathan in the Brasileiro Serie A opener against Flamengo as the Venezuelan failed to have a proper impact on the game. The issue with Savarino is that he lacks the breakaway pace to beat his man and drive forward or the dribbling ability to weave out of 2v1 situations as his game is tailored to beating the first man to create space for himself to then play a cross into the box. His game is also tailored to cutting inside past his man to thread through balls for runners in behind as he has the ability to be a high-volume chance creator in the final third from a variety of areas across the pitch.
Common logic would assume that Savarino would be better suited to a central attacking midfield role as this in itself presented a quandary for Sampaoli as Savarino lacked refinement in the nuances of being an efficient central attacking midfielder. First of all, Savarino tended to always move backwards with his directional first touch which would allow markers to push up against him or set themselves to tackle him. Savarino would go backwards which would take the tempo out of attacking moves as he would look for the switch ball or a back-pass which would slow down Atletico Mineiro’s positional play phase. Savarino also struggled in shielding the ball as with his lithe frame, he would be easily muscled off the ball which would be the same outcome of some attacking moves when he was positioned in the wide areas. At the beginning of the season, Sampaoli would leave the Venezuelan on the bench while Savarino looked to develop certain facets of his game.
In a home match against Corinthians, he came off the bench to receive a cross from Keno and back-heel for Marrony to thread a pass for Guga to lob a pass for Hyoran to finish. Savarino was involved in another goal as he received a cross-field pass from Hyoran to cut inside and have a shot saved before Hyoran was on hand to tap-in the rebound. A corner was then headed into Savarino’s path as he nonchalantly chipped the ball over the keeper but hit his shot askew for Hyoran to receive possession in the box before cutting back for Rever to finish. However, this goal was ruled out for offside due to Marrony standing in an offside position during the sequence. Savarino then had a cross for Marrony which was saved as he came off the bench to be involved in Atletico Mineiro’s first two goals in a 3-2 victory while curling in two opportunities from crosses to prove that he should be in Sampaoli’s starting line-up.
Savarino started the next match at home to Ceara as Sampaoli used him as a ploy to switch the ball to the weak side as the Venezuelan moved inside to play a through ball for Hyoran to work a combination with Marrony. He then worked a switch for Keno to mis control before receiving possession on the right touchline, driving inside before threading a ball through the lines before a pass was switched to Keno. Savarino also had a propensity to take extra touches on the ball which slowed attacking moves, giving the opposition the opportunity to get into shape as his penchant for excellent deliveries and moments of creative genius, made it more integral for Sampaoli to include him in a role that suited his strengths.
Against Coritiba, his first touch in between the lines improved greatly as he received early passes in between the lines to instigate attacking moves while still maintaining width for his side. He played a brilliant cross to Keno at the back-post for the Brazilain winger to head over before a teammate made a dummy run in the half-space for Savarino to receive possession for the Venezuelan to switch the ball to the far side where a cross to Jair was hammered over. Savarino’s first touch in between the lines, his ability to lead counters from the centre and effectively switch play shone through as it illustrated one of his better performances as he proved to be more effective when he moved into the centre.
Savarino had regained his role as a starter and one of the first names on Sampaoli’s team sheet as he started another match against Gremio, beating his man to switch a pass to Keno who had a shot saved before the shot was adjudged to have crossed the line. He continued to be effective with his switch passes while he created opportunities with his magnificent crossing ability, playing a delivery for Eduardo Sasha to have an acrobatic effort saved. Savarino had hit his stride as his teammates were playing passes to him where he was 1v1 against his fullback, so he could earn a yard of space by feinting as if he was cutting into the centre to change direction and prod the ball to the by-line and cross. He used this manoeuvre to cut-back for a shot that was deflected over.
During the International Break, he played for Venezuela in an away match against Colombia which ended in a thrashing favouring the Colombians. He put in an unspectacular performance, but it is intriguing that he was utilized as an attacking midfielder, receiving passes in between the lines and stringing attacks together. He had one moment where he received the ball in the ten space, allowing the ball to roll across his body to his left foot before shifting the ball to his stronger right foot to work a pass to the right flank where his teammate cut inside and had a shot saved. It showed a development of his first touch in receiving the ball in the ten space to add continuity to attacks rather than slow them down as he managed to create a shooting opportunity for his teammate by changing the pace of the game with his first touch.
For Atletico Mineiro, he continued in the wide areas as his fullback, Guga is deployed as a deep-lying ball-playing centre-back who is utilized as a third centre-back or as a central midfielder while Ecuadorian midfielder, Alan Franco will provide support on the overlap in certain situations. However, Savarino was finding himself in the central areas more frequently. At home to Vasco Da Gama, he received a pass from Guga to hit one of his trademark curled balls into the centre which was mis controlled before the Venezuelan moved into the box for Keno to drive the ball into the box on a mazy run before he was tackled, and the ball bobbled to Savarino to apply the finish. He was then released on the right by Alan Franco for his cross to not be finished by Keno.
Savarino created another opportunity by working a pass to Keno before switching the ball to Sasha to stand his defender up and roll a shot harmlessly at the keeper. Atletico Mineiro’s away game against Bahia proved to be a turning point for the 23-year-old in receiving the ball in the centre as he proved his exploits in a more central role. A Sasha lob was controlled and chested into his path for him to smash in for another goal as in the second half, he curled a cross to Keno who headed wide from point blank range. Savarino then missed an opportunity of his own as his first touch from a switch ball allowed him to beat his man and snatch at a shot to put it wide from a good angle.
Sampaoli has also allowed him and Keno to switch flanks so Savarino could be positioned in the left half-space - with Guilherme Arana establishing width - where he can receive possession, turn and thread passes through tight lines of pressure to teammates at the edge of the opposition box to continue his run and work connections around the opposition box. The 23-year-old’s game has become so efficient in receiving possession, driving to the by-line and cutting back deliveries for teammates as well as cutting inside to work through balls. His directional first touch has improved as he can utilize feints to beat his man in tight spaces. Away to Palmeiras, he started an attacking move by playing a through ball to an attacker who laid the ball off to him for Savarino to have a shot blocked.
He proved that he has come leaps and bounds under Sampaoli as in Atletico Mineiro’s most recent match against Flamengo, he managed to bag three assists. For the first, he was played in behind to curl a wonderful grass-cutting cross to Sasha who applied the finish, he the tee’d up Keno who curled a shot past the keeper with an extraordinary finish before threading a through ball to Matias Zaracho as the Argentine opened his account for the Brazilian club. All three assists illustrate the variety of ways that Savarino can create opportunities, laying off with his ability to receive possession in tight spaces, his crossing and his penchant for exquisite through balls.
The 23-year-old would be effective as a winger with an overlapping fullback allowing him to tuck inside, receive possession in the half-space, work passing combinations with the opportunity to move to the flank to work deliveries into attackers in the six-yard area. He would thrive in a system such as Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta as a wide attacker where he would have an overlapping wing-back, allowing him freedom of movement in the final third to pick up possession, connect play and make movements as he would also thrive with runners playing off him when he receives possession. His crossing with his right foot is extraordinary but he does not have the physical tools to be a natural winger while continuing to develop his sense for his first touch would add to his creative senses.
Savarino is currently trying to learn Portuguese, working with a tutor while describing Sampaoli as ‘different’ to any other coach that he has worked with as it is obvious that their working relationship is bearing fruit. Savarino has notched 3 goals and 4 assists so far in the Brasiliero as he has 6 goals and 6 assists in all competitions this season. He will be a player to watch in the Copa America for Venezuela next year as he could on a pathway to a major European League if his upward trajectory continues at its current rate.
