Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann has point to prove on his return to Atletico Madrid

Hostile reception: Griezmann is primed for jeers on his return to Atletico Madrid
AFP via Getty Images
Ben Hayward1 December 2019

Antoine Griezmann will know what is coming. He saw first hand how Atletico fans abused Thibaut Courtois on the goalkeeper's return as a Real Madrid player last season. And he can expect something similar on Sunday night.

Perhaps worse. Griezmann did not join Atleti's city rivals, but the French forward's transfer to Barcelona upset supporters of the Rojiblancos and the whistles will be loud as he takes to the field at the Wanda Metropolitano for the first time as an opposition player.

Atletico were furious that the player's negotiations with Barca had taken place behind their backs ahead of a key Champions League game against Juventus last season and demanded the Catalans pay up €200 million for their player, even though his release clause had dropped to €120m in July.

Barca said no, but did pay €15m in a "peace" agreement with Atletico. Not that the fans will be making peace on Sunday. Their relationship with Griezmann was always somewhat cold, despite his performances and his goals. There was the lingering feeling he would leave for a bigger club and ultimately, he did.

His team-mates appeared to know that too. Koke said: "In his five years here, he gave everything." But asked what he thought about fans jeering his former team-mate, he replied: "They have their opinion and we have to respect it." Would it bother him? "I'll keep that to myself," he added.

And in his pre-match press conference, Atletico coach Diego Simeone said: "I won't speak about Griezmann because he plays for another team. What the fans do is their decision. I can't get inside their head."

But they miss him. Griezmann scored 133 goals in 257 appearances for Atletico and since his exit, the Rojiblancos have found it difficult to win matches. After kicking off La Liga with three straight victories, Simeone's side have won three, drawn seven and lost the other in 11 games since, netting just 11 times in those fixtures.

"His history and the numbers speak for themselves," Simeone said when asked if his team was missing the French forward. "We are trying to improve, to create more chances and to be more aggressive in both areas."

Diego Costa is injured, Joao Felix has been sidelined and is taking time to settle, while Alvaro Morata has blown hot and cold, missing an open goal in the midweek defeat to Juventus. The young Portuguese is a sensation and Atleti's attack will improve, but as things stand, Griezmann is missed.

In Pictures | Barcelona vs Dortmund | 27/11/2019

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And he may also miss his former club after what has been a difficult start to life at Barcelona. The 28-year-old scored the third goal in the 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night in the Champions League, but he had only been on the pitch because of Ousmane Dembele's injury.

Reports that he and Lionel Messi do not get on are clearly mischievous and untrue, but the pair had not really established a real rapport on the pitch prior to Wednesday, when Messi set up his team-mate for his second-half strike at Camp Nou.

That was seen as an encouraging sign, but it was only the Frenchman's fifth goal in 17 matches and it is not a particularly good return in a team which usually creates plenty of chances - and also because it is only three in 15 since the World Cup winner netted twice in a 5-2 win over Real Betis back in late August.

"The fans will receive him as they see fit," Barca coach Ernesto Valverde said on Saturday. "When Griezmann was at Atletico, he gave everything and he had great seasons there."

At Barca, it has not been a great season so far. The Frenchman has played mostly out on the left wing and has appeared isolated, unable to adapt to the team, nor to his team-mates.

Chemistry: Griezmann and Messi combined in the win over Dortmund
AP

But Messi and Suarez were both injured at the start of the season and that may also have hindered his progress. "It's hard to form a connection when the other players are out," Griezmann said in October. "I have to improve, but I'm on the right track."

And last week, he admitted he had been for dinner with his two South American team-mates. "I'm really shy," he told uefa.com. "I'm not good at talking to people. I'm not the type to start a conversation, but Luis, Leo and me have been learning, getting to know each other, and we have been for dinner together."

With Dembele out for 10 weeks and Griezmann seemingly starting to build some chemistry with Suarez and Messi, the three forwards can concentrate on developing an even better understanding.

And back at the Wanda Metropolitano, with whistles from his former fans ringing in his ears, the Frenchman will be keen to prove a point to both Barca and Atletico on Sunday.

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