He was the undisputed leader, the star player who wore Atlético de Madrid on his shoulders for a large part of the season. But for a few weeks, Antoine Griezmann has been unrecognizable. Less influential, less decisive, the French is going through a period of doubt that leads his team at the most critical moment.
While Atlético has seen its hopes fly away in the Champions League and won in Liga, the mistifhe of its playing master falls at the worst, leaving the king's cup as the only rescue buoy for a halftone season. The question is on everyone's lips: but what happens to “Grizou”?
Griezmann, the dry breakdown.
The figures are implacable: the French striker remains on a black series of nine consecutive games without finding the way to the nets, all competitions combined. His last achievement dates back to February 25, during the semi-final go to the king's cup against Barça. Since then, nothing, or almost (only one assist). An unusual dry breakdown that his coach, Diego Simeone, was forced to recognize. While hoping for a quick awakening, especially for the return match against the Catalans, “El Cholo” admitted that his player was going through
“A difficult period”, adding: ” We are used to so much creativity, so much talent, so many goals … When it does not appear, it has to come back. I hope and I want it to happen. »»
Griezmann hard, Simeone gets impatient
How to explain this sudden blow of soft? At 34 (celebrated at the end of March), Griezmann is no longer very young and may be paying a marathon season. He has already played 43 games since last summer, including 37 as a holder, a frantic pace that could logically lead to a drop in physical and mental diet. This accumulated fatigue would explain why French sometimes seems to “lift up” lately. Ironically, its global statistics in the season remain more than correct (16 goals, 7 assists), which makes its current mix all the more visible and frustrating.
While Atlético plays part of its season in the king's cup, all eyes are on Antoine Griezmann. The club desperately needs to find its technical leader and its providential scorer. If fatigue seems a logical explanation to its current difficulties, the team can no longer afford to wait. The recent Liga match record for a foreigner (exceeding Messi) recalls his place in history, but it is in the present that Atlético needs his French genius.
