Despite the wait around a prestige shock against Paris Saint-Germain during the first day of the Club World Cup, Antoine Griezmann distinguished himself by a half-tone, even indigent service. Transparent on the offensive, clumsy level in its transmissions and absent in the key phases of the game, the leader of Atlético de Madrid never seemed to find the pace of the match. This underperformance is part of a disturbing spiral: it's been several months since the 2018 world champion is struggling to weigh in major meetings. Its disturbing declining influence both supporters and observers, especially when it manifests itself in such a publicized encounter.
This bad pass contrasts cruelly with the extension of the historic contract that Griezmann signed at the start of the season, binding it to the Madrid club until 2028. This gesture, presented at the time as a brand of loyalty and a reward for its stature in the workforce, seems today in total difference with its services on the field. While the club had made him one of the faces of his long -term sports project, Griezmann seems far from his best level today, raising questions about the relevance of this investment. The gap between the status granted to the player and his current performance is becoming more and more difficult to justify, especially in the light of meetings like that against PSG, where his lack of impact has jumped.
A horrible series for 4 months!
Since February 25, Antoine Griezmann has been going through a particularly alarming performance crisis, which the figures translate with implacable brutality: in 17 games in all competitions, he has scored no goal and only has two assists. For a player supposed to embody the heart of the Atlético de Madrid offensive project, this assessment is catastrophic. Faced with the greatest such as PSG, Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, but also against more modest adversaries such as Alavés, Osasuna or Rayo Vallecano, Griezmann remained silent, unable to weigh. Only two lightnings – against Betis and Rayo – break an otherwise desperate series. This statistical drought not only underlines its lack of efficiency, but also a loss of global influence on the game of his team, he who was once the metronome, the creator and the finisher. For a player of his caliber, such a prolonged erasure becomes difficult to excuse.
A indisputable holder, Antoine Griezmann nevertheless crossed the meeting against PSG as a ghost. In 90 minutes, the French striker only touched 30 balloons, delivered 23 assists, without the slightest assist, no goal, no defensive impact. Zero interception, zero tackles – him, formerly master of pressing. A sadly revealing assessment of his current level, far from the total player he still embodied recently: “We expected to make the same match as in the park. With the heat, it was more complicated. There have been two or three play facts which could have turned into our advantage but which turned in their favor. It's football. We must continue to work. We played them, we watched them on TV, we expected. We had prepared our match well, it's a shame. It tires. I have always been a team player. I try to make the efforts for others. I am lucky to have my little one who plays football. In 2014, it was complicated with Cholo. Now it's my game. I'm proud of it“Said Grizou at the microphone of DAZN. Suffice to say that he will quickly have to do it again …
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