It was not all rosy at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid as their former striker Antoine Griezmann now at the club on loan was being introduced as a substitute in the second half.
The home supporters made their feelings clear and known of how they felt about Griezmann. he was booed during his club’s scoreless draw with Porto during their Champions League clash.
Griezmann might have been one of Atleti’s brighter players on the night but that did not stop him from receiving the hostile reception from the home supporters.
Atletico Madrid’s fans remain angry at Griezmann for departing the club in 2019 to join Barcelona, although it proved to be a transfer that worked massively in the capital club’s favor. The supporters felt that he had everything with the club and should not have left.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone
Head coach Diego Simeone was questioned on the World Cup winner and naturally offered a defense of the star, who has returned to the club on loan with an obligatory purchase option of $47m equivalent to €40 million if he plays 50% of Atleti’s game.
Diego Simeone commenting on this situation complained that the media was making a ‘film and a morbid situation’ saying that Atletico Madrid had done a lot to afford recover an extraordinary footballer like him.
“We hope that he gets better and can respond to the people who are criticizing him. He has a challenge ahead of him as a result of what happened in the past.”
Griezmann’s first Atleti spell
Griezmann initially moved to Atletico Madrid in 2014 from Real Sociedad and became an icon of the club thanks to his stellar displays.
Indeed, he was regarded as one of the main catalyst of Atleti reaching the 2016 Champions League final and helping them to sustain a challenge to Real Madrid and Barcelona over successive years.
He scored 133 goals in 258 appearances for Atleti in his first spell with the club.
Antoine Griezmann given brutal reaction
The World Cup winner was long linked with a move to Barcelona before ultimately completing the deal. Nevertheless, this was a sore point for Atleti fans at the time, with Griezmann seeking to dramatize the decision by announcing it via a television show in 2018. On that occasion, he chose to stay with the Madrid side but he moved on a year later.
Griezmann’s only previous match since returning to Atletico Madrid was in Espanyol, where he played an hour before being withdrawn. The on-loan Barcelona star has yet to score or assist in La Liga this season, having played four matches.
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