Griezmann's Title Dream Hangs in the Balance as Atletico Faces Espanyol
Antoine Griezmann, the Atletico Madrid forward, has yet to claim the Spanish championship despite an impressive career in La Liga, and he risks missing another opportunity as things stand currently.
Diego Simeone’s team travels to face Espanyol on Saturday aware that another loss could further damage their chances in the title race, as they currently trail league leaders Barcelona by seven points with only 10 games left to play.
Griezmann, who celebrated his 34th birthday last week, is under contract until 2026; however, his prospects at the Metropolitano Stadium seem unclear. There have been speculations suggesting he might join an MLS team.
"Athletic at heart, Antoine is an outstanding player and a wonderful individual," stated club president Enrique Cerezo.
There is strong camaraderie and an impressive bond with Griezmann, and ultimately, he will make his own choice. The decision to remain here or depart lies solely with him.
The French forward claimed victory in the Europa League with Atletico in 2018 and triumphed in the Copa del Rey with Barcelona in 2021, yet he has not secured a win in La Liga.
Griezmann was absent from Atletico's 2021 championship success while playing for the Barcelona club.
In July 2014, he transferred to the Rojiblancos from Real Sociedad shortly following Atletico's victory in the league championship, which was their first win under Simeone’s leadership.
Across his two spells at the club Griezmann has netted 197 goals in 431 games, making him the all-time top scorer and seventh top appearance-maker.
Atletico midfielder Rodrigo Riquelme mentioned this week, 'He’s quite exceptional when you consider his status; he comes across as very genuine, constantly smiling, and always kind to others,'
I believe he serves as an excellent role model for others to emulate.
Griezmann must leverage his expertise and guidance to uplift Atletico's faltering spirits as they approach the season finale.
Earlier in March, Simeone's team was dramatically eliminated from the Champions League after losing to Real Madrid on penalties. A major point of controversy was the disallowing of Julian Alvarez's penalty kick, which sparked significant debate.
Barcelona mounted a comeback from a 2-0 deficit to secure a 4-2 victory in La Liga during Atletico’s final match before the international break, exacerbating Atletico’s injuries.
Simeone might decide to give striker Alvarez and midfielder Rodrigo de Paul some time off after they featured for Argentina against Brazil on Wednesday.
Following Atletico’s match against Espanyol, who sit 15th and just one point clear of the drop zone as they battle for their survival, Real Madrid—the defending champs—will face Leganes at home.
On Sunday, the leadership at Barcelona will host Girona, marking their second game out of nine scheduled within this rigorous 28-day period.
Player to keep an eye on: Dani Raba
The forward Raba, who plays for Leganes, poses a significant offensive threat for his team and aims to increase his total of five goals in La Liga when they play at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. In their recent match, he scored two goals as Leganes narrowly lost 3-2 to Real Betis.
Key stats
12 - Abdel Abqar of Alavés has received the highest number of yellow cards.
19 - Barcelona remains undefeated in games across all competitions
56 - Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe tops the list for shots on target in the league.
Fixtures
Saturday (all times GMT)
Real Sociedad vs Valladolid (13:00), Espanyol vs Atlético Madrid (15:15), Alavés vs Rayo Vallecano (17:30), Real Madrid vs Leganés (20:00)
Sunday
Getafe vs Villarreal (12:00), Barcelona vs Girona (14:15), Valencia vs Mallorca, Athletic Bilbao vs Osasuna (both at 16:30), Real Betis vs Sevilla (19:00)
Monday
Celta de Vigo versus Las Palmas (1900)
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