Real Salt Lake: Former star Jefferson Savarino is thriving in Brazil

Former Real Salt Lake star Jefferson Savarino has been a key offensive contributor for his new club

One of Real Salt Lake’s best exports is beginning to produce goals and assists on a consistent basis in Brazil’s top flight. Venezuelan Jefferson Savarino has three goals and two assists in his last five appearances for Atletico Mineiro. The former RSL winger joined the Brazilian club after the conclusion of the 2019 Major League Soccer season.

Picking up the pace

Savarino appears to have adjusted to playing in Brazil quite well. The 23-year-old failed to register a goal or an assist in his first nine appearances for Atletico Mineiro but he has come to form as of late. In four of the five matches he’s either scored or recorded an assist in, Atletico Mineiro has been victorious. This great run of recent form has certainly helped his club achieve positive results.

His first goal of the season came against RB Bragantino which proved to be the match-winner in a 2-1 victory for Atletico Mineiro. He followed up with an assist in each of the next two matches he featured in and then scored against EC Bahia on Monday night. His continued progress this season in Brazil’s Serie A will be interesting to watch as he is proving to be a dynamic player for Atletico Mineiro.

Cup Success

RSL’s former star played a key role in Atletico Mineiro’s success in the 2020 Campeonato Mineiro. During this competition, Savarino registered two goals and two assists. He had a standout performance against America Futebol Club when he scored a goal and registered two assists in the second leg of the semifinals. Atletico Mineiro went on to win this competition for the first time since 2017. This marked the first silverware Savarino has won with his new club.

Continued appearances on the international level

Savarino became a regular selection for Venezuela’s national team during his at Real Salt Lake. He was named to the 2019 Copa America squad and even squad against the United States during a friendly match in preparation for the tournament. Since joining Atletico Mineiro the national team selections have not ceased. He was recently apart of Venezuela’s team for the October CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers and played against Colombia.

Overall, it’s great to see Savarino playing at a high level in Brazil and on the international scene as well. He was certainly one of RSL’s best players in recent memory. To see him performing well should be a positive moment for the club as they played a key role in developing Savarino as a player.