Simeone Reaffirms Admiration For Griezmann

By Max Wise

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has reaffirmed his admiration for Antoine Griezmann’s five-year stay at the club despite the Frenchman departing on bad terms.

Griezmann recently departed the Rojiblancos for Barcelona after the Spanish champions activated his €120m release clause.

Atletico Madrid’s hierarchy are however peeved by the manner of Griezmann’s departure, insisting that Barcelona still owe them €80m for agreeing a deal in principle with the Frenchman way before his release clause dropped from €200m to €120m on July 1.

Regardless of the ongoing brouhaha surrounding Griezmann’s departure, his former manager has appreciated his efforts during his stay at the club and has wished him the best of luck for the upcoming campaign.

"I talked with him a lot," Simeone told TyC Sports. "It's an important moment in his career in which he decided to move to an extraordinary team like Barcelona.

"I am grateful to the people who have been with us. People are normally valued for the final decision, but not by me. I value the five years he gave us that were faultless.

"He gave his best, he improved as a player and he listened to us. He makes me happy as a coach.

"I love him very much and I have a great relationship with the family.

"Obviously he's going to a very strong team and surely if he maintains the rhythm of when he was among the best he will have a great season."

Griezmann spent five years at Atletico Madrid after Simeone signed him from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2014 and he scored 133 goals in 257 appearances, winning the Europa League, Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Super Cup in his time at the club.