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Griezmann's frustration as a symptom of Atlético's ills

2022-05-08T05:25:11.509Z


The expectations created with the return of the French attacker have not been fulfilled and if Simeone's team does not qualify for the Champions League, its continuity is not guaranteed


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Without qualifying for the next Champions League guaranteed, nothing is taken for granted at Atlético de Madrid.

Not even the continuity of Antoine Griezmann next season, despite the fact that there is a loan agreement with Barcelona for two years, with the right to compulsory purchase for 40 million euros if he plays 50% of the games in which he is available.

His return last summer responded to the personal commitment of Diego Pablo Simeone and he wants him to continue, but club sources assure that, without the income from the great competition still assured, it is impossible to specify any type of planning.

Without the Champions League bag, no footballer is exempt from being transferable or lowering his salary, including that of the Argentine coach.

The frustration of Griezmann that they observe in Atlético for his poor performance is linked to that experienced by Simeone, his footballers and the fans by the expectations created after the conquest of the last league championship and the return of the Frenchman at the last minute of the summer market.

Cholo was waiting for a hierarchical forward, with tougher skin than João Félix to lead the attack and provide the team with greater competitive solidity.

Reality dictates that the footballer longed for by the coach has hardly been seen.

Nine months later, Griezmann records the worst numbers of his career, with only three goals in the League, four in the Champions League and one in the Cup. In the run-up to the last game against Athletic in San Mamés, which ended in defeat (2-0), Griezmann and Simeone had a talk that did not have the desired effect.

The French played the 90 minutes, but the version of him was the one he has shown in most of the matches.

Delivered to the tactical discipline and the sacrifice that the coach weighs so much on him, but none to make a difference.

He has gone 13 games without scoring and there are hardly any traces of actions or flashes that reinforce him.

His daily work in training is his best defense.

"It's true that he hasn't scored goals for a few games, but he always works,

The course has been complicated for Griezmann from the start.

He first had to deal with the reluctance to his return from a large part of the rojiblanca fans due to the ways in which he announced his signing for Barcelona.

With the grandstand largely reconquered, an injury to his right thigh in the first-round derby played on December 18 left him out for three weeks.

He reappeared on January 6 in the Cup against Majadahonda.

In half an hour he scored a goal and suffered from the injury, which made Simeone angry because he lost the footballer for another month and a half.

The relapse, they say at Atlético, has been a mental torment for a player who had stood out for his unblemished medical history despite the physical wear and tear that he is used to in games.

Meritocracy

With João Félix injured until the end of the season, Griezmann was called to be a fundamental piece in these four games that decide the economic future of the project.

However, even Simeone now seems to doubt his reliability in the current version of the French attacker.

He's not even guaranteed starting him in tonight's derby.

The tests of the coach's week point to Cunha and Correa as starters and even Marcos Llorente as second striker at certain moments of the game, either at the beginning or afterwards.

Griezmann himself is aware that his continuity at Atlético would not be discussed with the team qualified for the Champions League.

However, his age (31 years), the poor season he has had and with his high salaries, the disbursement of 40 million euros that the club must make would remain up in the air without the Champions League bag.

As his substitute, Griezmann may see his frustration increase at not even being able to contribute to securing his future as an Atlético player in the remaining four games.

Given his state of form, his untouchable condition in recent games raised misgivings in the dugout.

The need to appeal to the meritocracy that the club's leadership exposed to Simeone in the conclave after the defeat at the Metropolitano with Levante may also affect Griezmann starting this Sunday.

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Source: elparis

All sports articles on 2022-05-08

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