Concern reigns around Antoine Griezmann, injured in the ankle during the clash against Inter Milan. A prolonged absence could put an end to an incredible series with the Blues.
The bad news keeps coming for Didier Deschamps. Last week, the French coach recorded his first withdrawal for the Euro. Victim of a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee, Boubacar Kamara will not be there in Germany. And on Tuesday, during the Champions League clash between Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid, two new Blues joined the infirmary.
After Marcus Thuram, injured in the adductor at the end of the first period and replaced at the break, it was Antoine Griezmann who was left with an ankle injury. As soon as the match ended, Diego Simeone wanted to be reassuring. “Antoine, it’s a sprained ankle, it’s nothing, I hope it’s not worrying,” he confided. But at a press conference, the Argentine technician wanted to be more cautious. “What Antoine has is that his ankle has turned. We hope it’s a sprain.” he indicated this time.
84 matches in a row with the Blues
Atletico Madrid now hope to be able to count on their star striker in the return match scheduled in three weeks, on March 13. The Mâconnais will not be too much while the Colchoneros lost 1-0 in Lombardy. If he were to be absent, he would risk missing the next meeting of the Blues, the list having to be communicated the next day. And an absence of Antoine Griezmann would constitute a real earthquake.
Antoine Griezmann has indeed played the last 84 matches for the France team. Since the match against the Netherlands on August 31, 2017, the French world champion, the most decisive player during the Deschamps era with 44 goals and 37 assists, has not missed a single match for the Blues. For comparison, the previous holder of this record was Patrick Vieira with… 44 consecutive meetings with the French team between 1999 and 2002.
