Emotions were high at the Metropolitano on Sunday for Antoine Griezmann’s final performance in front of the Madrid public. A final conclusion with a success (1-0) and a final decisive pass from the hero of the evening, his 100e in the jersey of Atletico Madrid.
But the big moment of the evening came at the end of the meeting when the French world champion, who had just competed in his 500e match with the Colchoneros, received the tribute of an entire stadium, surrounded by his wife and four children. And this before addressing, with tears in his eyes, the Madrid supporters.
“I have a headache from crying so much, he said to begin with. It’s true that I couldn’t win La Liga or the Champions League, but what I receive this evening, your affection, is worth much more, and I will keep it with me all my life. »
” I’m sorry “
Antoine Griezmann did not hesitate to talk about his departure for FC Barcelona in the summer of 2019. A transfer which had provoked strong reactions among Rojiblancos fans but which now belongs to the past given the affection of Atletico Madrid supporters for the top scorer in the club’s history.
“I know many of you have forgiven me, but I tell you again: I am sorry. I didn’t realize how much affection I had here, I was very young. I made a mistake, I thought about it, and we did everything we could to get back here,” he said.
Before the match, Diego Simeone also paid tribute to his star player. “When he came back, it was a moment of joy, of happiness, we knew that a genius was coming back. We had a true football genius in our home, we will miss him, he said. Antoine would like to be remembered as a noble, humane, responsible person… A guy who was always ready to put himself at the service of Atlético. He had the humility to come back and start from scratch… And what can we say about the insatiable scorer that he was? »
