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Antoine Griezmann Says Atletico Madrid Are 'F--ked Up' After Juventus UCL Loss
March 13, 2019
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann said the team feels "f--ked up" following their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Juventus on Tuesday.
Having turned in a brilliant performance in the first leg to secure a 2-0 lead, Atletico were favourites to progress into the quarter-finals of the competition. However, they were dominated on Tuesday, with Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick for Juve enough to see them through.
After the match, Griezmann said the team had been left angry by the manner in which they performed and added he was not pleased with his own display, per Movistar Liga de Campeones (h/t Goal).
"Everyone is f--ked up and I feel guilty, because I could not keep up with the pace of the game," said the Frenchman. "... I do not know what to say to the fans. We're screwed. They have been superior at all levels. We can not let them win 3-0. It has not been our day."
There's no doubt it was a night to forget for Atletico:
Here are the highlights from a remarkable game in Turin, with Ronaldo once again proving he is the man for the big occasion (U.S. only):
While clearly annoyed by the team's performance and his own efforts, Griezmann praised the hero of the evening following his incredible display.
"Cristiano has taken the measure to the whole world because he is a great player," said the Atletico star. "In the first leg we managed to give him no chances, and today he had three and all three went in."
Per The Spanish Football Podcast, Griezmann appeared a little shellshocked after Juventus mounted their comeback:
Griezmann and his fellow forward Alvaro Morata struggled to make their mark on the game, as Atletico were sat deep in a defensive shape from almost the first whistle.
Juventus worked the ball wide with ease and frequently managed to get dangerous deliveries into the area. Atletico were left clearing possession away in a frantic manner, meaning the service into their star forward was poor all night.
While this defensive approach has worked for Atletico in the past, it was clear they were hanging on from an early stage in the game. Spanish football journalist David Cartlidge was critical of the manner in which manager Diego Simeone set the side up:
With the final of this season's competition being played at Atletico's Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, the Madrid side would have been desperate to continue their progression and keep dreams of a first European Cup alive.
Griezmann enjoyed the best year of his career in 2018, helping Atletico to the UEFA Europa League and France to the FIFA World Cup. With the Champions League gone and a seven-point gap to make up on Barcelona in La Liga, 2019 looks as though it will much less prosperous year for the forward.