Truth over Griezmann's Atletico Madrid loan revealed
Karan Tejwani
- 15 Sept 2022 13:30 BST
- 3 min read
Atletico Madrid’s intent to not pay Barcelona’s €40 million fee for Antoine Griezmann continues, as the French star continues to play off the bench, coming on in the last 30 minutes of matches.
Barcelona loaned Griezmann to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2021 on a two-year deal, with an obligation to buy for €40 million, should certain conditions be met at the end of the spell.
Atletico Madrid believed those conditions have not been met as they are spread over two years, but Barcelona think otherwise, and the Blaugrana were prepared to launch a lawsuit.
Barcelona believed they are entitled to an immediate payment of €40 million, and that Griezmann is no longer contracted to them on a permanent basis.
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However, there are now different reports in the matter, with some Spanish outlets suggesting Atletico Madrid have a plan for how to get around this.
According to the contract signed initially, Atletico Madrid have to pay €40 million to Barcelona if the Frenchman plays more than 50 percent of the available matches at the end of the loan period.
The club also offered Barcelona €20 million this summer, but Barcelona rejected the offer and referred back to the contract signed in the loan agreement last year.
One appearance is a total of 45 minutes, hence why Diego Simeone has not substituted him on the pitch in the first 60 minutes of matches, and he is happy to follow orders from his bosses.
🎙| Reporter: "For Barcelona, Griezmann is an Atleti player. For Atleti, he's a Barcelona player. Do you think he feels unloved?"
🎙| Diego Simeone: "I think Celta is working very well, they have been competing strongly and is a team that plays the ball very well..." 😂 pic.twitter.com/nRJYyF5GTq— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) September 10, 2022
According to the times he has played for Atletico Madrid, Griezmann has not played any of the matches relevant to the contract signed during the loan agreement.
He has played under 30 minutes in every match this season in both league and Champions League: Getafe (28), Villarreal (28), Valencia (26), Real Sociedad (27) and Celta (27), Porto (29), Leverkusen (27’).
