Barcelona’s Griezmann conflict with Atletico Madrid set to escalate
Robin Bairner
- 12 Sep 2022 07:09 CDT
- 3 min read
Barcelona are growing increasingly frustrated with Atletico Madrid over their treatment of loan star Antoine Griezmann, with the war between the two clubs poised to step up a notch in the days and weeks ahead.
Griezmann was loaned to Atleti in the summer of 2021 with the understanding that if he played a certain portion of matches for the club that he would be subject to an automatic purchase.
The club from the capital, though, have frustrated Barcelona by deliberately bringing on Griezmann in the closing 30 minutes of each game they have played. This means that these do not count as appearances in the wording of the loan agreement they have signed with the Camp Nou club.
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Griezmann has to feature in 45 minutes or more of 50% of matches he is available for Atletico to be obliged to sign him for €40 million.
Reports from Catalan radio station RAC1 suggest that Barcelona are considering legal action against Los Colchoneros over their treatment of Griezmann.
Barca’s claim centre around the fact that they believe the agreement specifically referred to the first season of Griezmann’s loan only. If this is the case, Atelti triggered the agreement because the World Cup winner played in 30 of 37 games – well over 50%.
Atletico Madrid cool on lawsuit
Speaking after Saturday’s victory over Celta Vigo, Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo denied that Barca have filed legal claims against his club to this point.
Sport reports he said: “Nothing has come to us. We don’t know if we’ve been sued or not. Anything is possible in this life.”
Griezmann’s situation is important to Barcelona because he carries a huge wage burden. Although the Catalans have been given significant relief on that front this season due to the sale of long-term assets, it is unclear how long this may last and there is a clear appetite to get him off their books once and for all.
