Felix kicked off life at the Italian side with a bang as he scored to help them cruise to a 3-1 Coppa Italia victory over Claudio Ranieri’s Roma on Wednesday night. There have already been reports that Milan are looking to extend his stay beyond the end of his loan deal after making the move from Chelsea this winter.
However, Garcia has spoken to ESPN about how Felix needs to work on his mentality which has held him back throughout his career despite his incredible ability.
“At the moment, I think that Joao Felix has not understood something that’s fundamental in modern football: Pure talent is no longer enough.
“Quality, technique and ability on the pitch are important attributes, but it’s not enough to succeed at the highest levels,” he continued.
“This might not apply to Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, who were simply in another category, but in today’s football, if you play for a team like Atletico, Barcelona, Chelsea or now Milan, you have to give even more.”
When asked what “more” consisted of, Garcia explained that it applies to every part of Felix’s game and that if he does not change mentally he may not reach the heights many expected him to reach.
“That means working hard, fighting for every ball, getting stuck into tackles, making interceptions. It’s not enough to stand there waiting for the ball to come to your feet.
“If he doesn’t change mentality, I’m worried that we’ll continue seeing him move from one club to another. And unfortunately, the level of those teams could continue to drop.”
Felix made 20 appearances for Chelsea in the first half of the season and scored 7 times whilst bagging 2 assists. After grabbing a goal on his Milan debut the future could be bright for the 25-year-old who was once regarded as one of the best young talents in Europe.