At Betfair, it is almost taken for granted that Atlético de Madrid will play again in the Champions League next season under the wake of an impeccable Griezmann
In January he had already scored and assisted in 12 different games with Atlético in LaLiga, more than any other rojiblanco player in the competition in the 21st century.
After a very difficult start to the campaign, the most difficult since the arrival of Cholo, Atlético gradually returns to resembling itself. The feelings of the team after the World Cup are very different from those of the first months of the campaign. Atlético have recovered their defensive solidity, De Paul finally resembles the player he was in Udinese, and Griezmann is in star mode. Perhaps in the Little Prince is the great key to change.
With these wickers, the colchoneros have only lost in one of their last seven games (against FC Barcelona by the minimum), and they have recovered the Champions League place they lost before the World Cup. The work of Griezmann, his franchise player, resembles that footballer that some analysts once put at the same table as Messi and Cristiano. ‘Grizzi’ himself claimed a chair among the greatest.
According to Betfair forecasts, all this context has a reliability translation in the development of the season. For Atlético de Madrid to qualify in the top four is paid at €1.07 per euro wagered, that is, it is almost taken for granted and would meet the priority objective of the year.
The challenge of the Bernabéu
Even so, and despite resting during the week, that Atlético beat Real Madrid in the next derby on Saturday is paid at €4.8 per euro bet and is far from the white team’s quota (1.76). The meringues are favorites because they play at home, because they are on top in the standings, because Simeone’s team has been very good lately and because exhibitions like the one at Anfield are proof that Ancelotti’s men are fine despite the blows they receive.
Even so, Griezmann’s mattress spirit is also a good argument to hold on to the hope that Atlético can get their hands on him at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Frenchman does not end up giving bad to the eternal rival when the rojiblanca wears. He has scored eight goals, seven of them in the League, a competition in which he equaled Fernando Torres on the last day as the fifth top mattress scorer with 102 goals. The last time that Atlético won at the Bernabéu was with a goal from Griezmann (0-1, in 2016) and he also participated in the last point that Atlético has managed to scratch against Real Madrid at home (1-1 in 2018).
Better records than Agüero
The reality is that Atlético is changing its trend this season and it does so with a stellar Griezmann. In January he had already scored and assisted in 12 different games with Atlético Madrid in LaLiga, more than any other rojiblanco player in the competition in the 21st century, surpassing Kun Agüero (11).. Legendary numbers that make him position himself to be considered one of the best players in the championship and many analysts agree that he is the best in LaLiga today.
“It is decisive for us, when the team is well it plays at another level, it has an offensive movement to attack that is the best. It allows us to have more options. He had a good first half, we improved in the second… He allowed us to play with two forwards plus him. We had Morata, Memphis, him…& rdquor;, assured Simeone after the last game.
France led the way
The World Cup was a turning point for Griezmann. He completed a superb tournament and his position as a midfielder rather than a striker is helping to boost his career not only in his country, but also to open another path for Simeone. Griezmann has been, for a long time, the star of Atlético. He has recovered the band he lost with his departure, he has won over the fans and left at the last moment of the last game to a huge ovation from the Cívitas Metropolitano.
“I feel great joy, pride and the work and sacrifice pays off. You have to continue in that line so that there are many more ovations like this & rdquor;, declared the Frenchman after being named MVP of the match. The Frenchman’s departure to Barcelona was a pang of pain in the heart of the mattress fans.
But, there is no better example of how to win back someone who loved you so much and your goodbye hurt so much. Work, goals, work, personality and a version that once again places him among the best. And it only cost Atlético 20 million to retain him until 2026. A player who smiles and is happy again. The second rule of the Griezmann club, enjoy Griezmann.