Over in Riyadh, Antoine Griezmann is breaking a report. A neat flip along with his left foot leaves one Actual Madrid marker on the bottom and one other trailing in his wake. A fierce shot along with his proper foot sees the ball fly into the underside nook of the online.
In the end, Actual Madrid got here from behind twice to win an exciting Spanish Tremendous Cup semi-final by 5 targets to 3 after additional time. Griezmann goes into the Atletico Madrid historical past books, however. His redemption in crimson and white is now full.
It was he who additionally scored the primary ever purpose on the Metropolitano Stadium. “It was not just any goal,” he stated on the time. Nor was this one. The purpose that made it 174 for Atletico, breaking the report set by Luis Aragones virtually half a century in the past.
There’s a statue of Aragones outdoors the Metropolitano. There was a time when any hope of Griezmann being honoured in the identical approach appeared lengthy gone. Even the small plaque to mark each participant who has made 100 appearances for the membership appeared misplaced.
It was trashed upon his return with Barcelona. A trio of toy rats marked the spot, signifying the energy of feeling in opposition to him. Contained in the stadium, there was a banner questioning his manhood. The chants from the Atletico followers have been much less savoury than that.
Griezmann got here by way of it. Resistance dissipated when he returned. Contrition was clear, work ethic unwavering. And apart from, Atletico nonetheless received a title with out him. Regardless of signing him twice, they’ve managed to make a revenue on their report scorer too.
Recollections have been made as nicely. His latest purpose within the 1-0 win over Mallorca was the report twenty fifth event wherein Griezmann had scored the one purpose of a recreation in La Liga. It speaks to how decisive his interventions have turn into beneath Diego Simeone.
“With him, there is always something special that can appear at any moment in the match,” says Simeone himself. Given a free position – as free as any participant can probably be in a Simeone facet – Griezmann has flourished with out being seen to take too many liberties.
He nonetheless harries, overlaying the kilometres. That’s non-negotiable. Nevertheless it has been in him because the begin. Lyon advised him that he was too small when only a boy. All the pieces since has been an train in displaying his robustness, proving that he can deal with the physicality.
He would have thrived anyplace.
To take action at Simeone’s Atletico brings further delight.
As Jose Luis Caminero, the person who first signed him for Atletico, put it: “He is a player willing to sacrifice himself for the team when it is needed and work on defensive tasks too, something that makes him different from the rest of the world’s greatest players.”
A really Atletico Galactico.
As such, it’s acceptable that even second time round, the wrestle got here earlier than the success. Upon being loaned again to Atletico, the dispute over his switch charge led to his minutes being restricted. He was on the bench for the primary seven video games of final season.
At that stage, all this seemed something however inevitable. “Many, many, thought otherwise,” Simeone identified. However Griezmann is enjoying the most effective soccer of a profession that received him the World Cup half a dozen years in the past and a nine-figure transfer to Barcelona after that.
Griezmann was the excellent participant in Spanish soccer in 2023 – and it was not shut. The gulf between him and the remaining is greatest illustrated by the truth that he was not solely the highest scorer in La Liga within the calendar 12 months however he was additionally high of the assists listing too.
Griezmann was concerned in 34 Atletico targets, 9 greater than nearest rival Robert Lewandowski. No person else managed greater than 20. However even these numbers don’t do justice to his contribution. Examine the variety of huge probabilities created to the remaining in 2023.
He’s scorer and creator, prompter in chief.
He has discovered himself once more. At Barcelona, that was unattainable within the shadow of Lionel Messi. Pressured to discover a new place, do issues that didn’t go well with his personal strengths in servitude to the staff, he managed to make a task for himself, nevertheless it was not his personal.
Right here, and with Messi gone, he has established himself as the primary man not simply at Atletico however maybe within the competitors. “When he plays well, the team hits another level,” Simeone explains. “He allows us to have more options to transition from defence to attack.”
This purpose was simply the most recent instance of that. It got here, simply because the record-equalling effort in opposition to Getafe did final month, with a caveat. Two late targets to disclaim him the glory, that means that the celebrations have been curtailed. How appropriately Atletico is that.
This path has not been good. Twice, Griezmann has joined Atletico as champions however he has by no means received La Liga with them. Perhaps that’s extra becoming. The wrestle is all a part of it with Atletico. And Griezmann is again, striving in opposition to these royal rivals, main the battle.
The person whose Atletico profession may need led to ignominy however for his personal dedication to return has solid one other legacy, turned the web page on one other story. On the promenade of legends, a plaque not feels sufficient. Antoine Griezmann’s standing is lastly assured.