"Factors limiting" Joao Felix

There are "factors that limit" Joao Felix's talent, said Portugal's Renato Paiva on Monday. Currently coach of Bahia, he played alongside the young player, now at Chelsea, in the Benfica youth set-up.

In a conference organised by the Portuguese radio station 'Radio Renascenca', Paiva spoke about the recent trajectory of Felix, who, now on loan at Chelsea, is in a "more complicated" phase, although he still "believes a lot" in the young striker.

Felix "is a player I once said could be a super Ballon d'Or candidate. I said it then but now he has entered a more complicated part of his career," he commented.

"I still believe very much in Joao's talent, but there are other factors that limit his talent, there are other levels that don't meet it," Paiva said, without specifically mentioning the obstacles.

Joao Felix, 23, was loaned out by Atletico Madrid to Chelsea last January and has been one of the best players on the pitch in a season that has been a nightmare for the London side.

However, he lost his place in the team with the sacking of manager Graham Porter and the arrival of Frank Lampard, who has had little use for the Portugal international.

Renato Paiva also commented on the career of Rúben Dias, another product of the Benfica youth system and currently under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, and confessed that he has been surprised.

In the youth ranks, Dias "was a player with leadership, with a capacity to learn, to work, with extraordinary ambition and we said he had the ability to be a professional footballer", he recalled.

However, "at that time, although I liked him a lot, I would never have thought that he would arrive at Manchester City and have the prominence he has today," Paiva confessed.

Renato Paiva, 57, was at Benfica between 2005 and 2021, when he left for Independiente del Valle, with whom he won the Ecuadorian league title in his debut season. He then moved to Leon and is currently in charge of Bahia in the Brazilian Primera Division.