With just eight goals this season, and only three in La Liga, it hasn’t been Antoine Griezmann’s finest campaign for Atlético Madrid.
Marca have produced a piece outlining Griezmann’s tough spell of late.
After Atlético Madrid’s victory over Cádiz in March at the Wanda Metropolitano, Griezmann played the two best games of his season. Against Manchester United at Old Trafford, he assisted Renan Lodi for the winning goal. He was also impressive in Atlético’s win against Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas.
These performances had more to do with his defensive work than his attacking output. The international break came after the game in Vallecas. Since then, Griezmann has been Diego Simeone’s first substitution in four games. Against Alavés he was withdrawn in the 61st minute with Atlético winning 1-0. The match ended in a 4-1 win for Atlético.
At the Etihad Stadium, in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Manchester City, he was brought off after just an hour. The Frenchman had worked hard as Atlético defended in a 5-5-0 formation for spells.
In the club’s 1-0 defeat away to Mallorca on 9 April, he was substituted at half-time as Atleti played with no real threat going forward. In the second leg against City in midweek, Griezmann came off again in the first set of changes, after offering little support to João Félix, and his departure coincided with Atlético’s best spell of the match.
Simeone still has confidence in him, starting him in the club’s biggest games, ahead of the likes of Luis Suárez, Ángel Correa and Matheus Cunha. He gives his all on the pitch but Griezmann hasn’t scored a goal since January 6. He looks happy at Atlético and his tears at the end of the match against Manchester City are a clear sign of that. Atlético do, however, need much more from a player who came to add goals and assists, if they’re to claim a Champions League spot at the end of the season.
