MADRID Brazilian midfield star Juninho has decided to stay at Atletico Madrid until at least the end of the season rather than move back to the English premiership with Aston Villa or Middlesbrough, his father said Saturday. Juninho's father Osvaldo Giroldo, who is also the player's agent, said after Atletico had lost 2-1 to Valencia on Saturday night that his son had decided to stay put although he had yet formally to tell the club.

Juninho has been involved in a tug-of-war between Villa, with whom he had talks last week, and former club Middlesbrough since Atletico Coach Arrigo Sacchi revealed the diminutive Brazilian international was surplus to requirements. And only on Thursday the player's British representative said he was 90 percent certain Juninho was Villa-bound for 10 million pounds (16 million dollars) after being offered a contract worth a basic 5 million pounds over five years.

But Sacchi has changed tack in the past few days and on Saturday he explained he needed players of quality in reserve if Atletico are to win silverware this season. Before giving Juninho the chance to prove himself for the whole of the second half against Valencia, Sacchi explained: If we want to be a great team who aspire to great things we have to have a squad of 18 top notch players.

Club president Jesus Gil is still believed to be ready to part with Juninho if Atletico can at least recoup the 20 million dollars they paid for the 25-year-old's services in the summer of 1997. Sacchi on Saturday dispensed with his usual assertion that playing Juninho alongside Juan Carlos Valeron would not work. But asked if fielding both of them had been a successful tactic he shrugged and said simply: We lost.

(AFP)