Why Antoine Griezmann Could Be Starting His Long Goodbye to Atletico Madrid
Perhaps because we’re reminded almost daily of there being more important events in the world, this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony seemed to be a bit more muted than last year’s.
For those of us who feel that the award takes too much prominence in the modern game, that is at least something to be thankful for. But the reason for the subdued nature of Monday's event was that the main men were all a bit distracted.
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Cristiano Ronaldo—who clinched the award for a fourth time—was over in Japan preparing to line up for European champions Real Madrid in their Club World Cup campaign, while Lionel Messi was in Qatar at an exhibition match for Barcelona.
One of those has a lot more importance than the other, but both just go to show the different demands and expectations placed upon the best footballers in the world and what they have to do for their teams.
The man who came third in the voting was also distracted on that Monday evening, but it proved to be a far less welcome of a distraction.
Antoine Griezmann was on the pitch as Atletico Madrid slipped to their latest and most damaging defeat in this campaign, losing limply to Villarreal, who strolled to a 3-0 success.
Everything that we have come to associate with Atleti was missing from their performance at El Madrigal, as they failed to press, harry or make life difficult for their opponents, who in turn didn’t have to do an awful lot of that themselves to get on top in the game.
Villarreal were presented with their opening goal thanks to an error from the midfielder Tiago, and although Griezmann missed a glorious chance to equalise almost straight away, the Frenchman was unable to decorate the game on the evening he had been crowned the third-best at what he does in the world.
He cut a forlorn figure, with Atletico failing to function behind him and manager Diego Simeone—a man he has come to form a strong bond with—looking fairly helpless on the sidelines.
In this, the third season he’s been at Atletico, the former Real Sociedad man has never quite experienced times like this.
Since joining the then-Liga champions in 2014, the Frenchman has grown along with the club. Title challenges and European runs have been the norm, and 3-0 defeats were unheard of.
But although 2016 was a breakthrough year for him personally—with his wonderful performances, top-scorer award and best-player accolade at Euro 2016 all playing a large role in his third-place finish in the Ballon d’Or voting—it could also be said that this is the year he began to separate from Atletico.
The missed penalty in the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Milan—where more penalties led to Atletico’s defeat—must still haunt Griezmann. Coming so soon after their agonising defeat in the final two years earlier, it might end up haunting Atletico for a long time to come.
It was their chance to grab a foothold at a top table they’ve always been striving to reach and to both keep and attract the best players from around the world. They didn’t take it, and everything that has happened since has only gone to suggest this was the best that things are going to be for the club for some time to come.
With Simeone shortening his contract earlier this season and seemingly already eyeing his next project, it could well be that several of his players are also doing the same thing.
Whether that is a reason for the poor performances that have blighted the team this season in La Liga is a question for another day, but as far as Griezmann is concerned, it would be impossible not to imagine himself on another stage.
Without a goal for 694 minutes of league action, he is playing in a team that isn’t quite making the best use of his obvious talents.
It could be said that he wasn’t doing that to begin with given how Atletico have prioritised functionality over flair throughout his time at the club. But Griezmann found a way to thrive in that system because of the hard work of others and the opportunities they created for him. That isn’t happening at the moment.
And although this will be hard for Atletico fans to read, they know all too well about the fact great striking talents have only ever passed through their doors in recent seasons. Like all good forwards, they have been looking for the next opportunity.
Sergio Aguero, Radamel Falcao and Diego Costa all fit into that category, and although Fernando Torres found his way back, he too left for pastures new when he thought it would benefit his career.
It is different for Griezmann, simply because we are talking about—and should respect—the two-time Champions League finalists here. Atletico are a massive club, but they are also a club at which it is easy to look elsewhere at the first sign of struggle.
Griezmann probably wouldn’t be doing that if he were playing for one of the more established big sides already, but if anything, his position two steps away from the greatest individual prize in the game will only make him ponder things more. After all, the third-best player in the world shouldn’t be playing for a team that loses 3-0 at Villarreal.
But where should he be playing?
A move to either one of Barcelona or Real Madrid won’t be countenanced by Atletico fans and shouldn’t by the club, either.
Perhaps one of the giants of the Premier League would give him the stage he’d shine on, either as part of an already established attacking lineup or to reinvent one.
Again, all of this is for another day, though.
The key thing is that a lot of factors seem to be coming together to make this the beginning of his long goodbye to the club. Griezmann will have no doubt been told several things by the people around him with regard to who wants him and what is possible, but he’ll definitely keep on giving his all to Atletico Madrid for the time being.
How long is that time going to be, though?
Now he’s found himself on that Ballon d’Or podium, Griezmann knows what he’s capable of. He needs a stage fit enough for him to display his obvious talents on a more regular basis if he is to get back there again.
Do Atletico offer as much any more?
They seem a long way away from that.
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