Although he is the best or perhaps because he is the best, it is not easy to relate to Messi on the table, a footballer who capitalizes on the game and defines the style of Barça like no other because no attack does not pass through his feet. The last to discover it was Antoine Griezmann (Macon, France, 29 years old). The French promised them very happy as at the same table as Leo and Cristiano. he even said before donning the Barça jacket. But he has had a hard time signifying himself in the team also in the rival area.
Among other things, because in 2021 the Frenchman has participated in 13 goals he has scored seven and given six away more than any of the First Division. And also because when Leo raises his head, he looks for him. This was appreciated against Granada, as La Pulga delivered 15 passes to the Frenchman, above the 11 links he wove with Pedri and also, significant because he played little, with Riqui Puig. Medal for Griezmann, able to adapt his football to the side as others did, demanded by Barça and also by Messi.
It is not easy for a world champion, a player who has been decisive in all the teams he has played for, to be so humble and roll up his sleeves and run when things don’t work out they explain from the Barcelona sports area. Not only that, but he has also taken pains to gain the complicity of the wardrobe, such as that personalized Louis Vuitton backpack with embroidered initials of each one that he gave to everyone on the team for Christmas. He’s a good boy they now admit from the Barça dressing room is never easy to adapt to a group made, but he has managed to turn it around and of course, he is a great striker. An area player, no matter how much he starts from the side. Something is already seen at the Camp Nou and around Messi.
The shock wave of Argentine soccer requires very special companions, footballers who seek successive coaches in the face of the Argentine’s deathly silence. Thus, since Guardiola hit the key in that memorable 2-6 duel against Madrid (2009) Leo placed himself inside a false 9 and the figures of Larsson -now Koeman’s assistant- or Maxi Lopez, an example of battering rams. that finished more than they passed, were forgotten. The same thing happened to Ibrahimovic, who got angry I know how to play like that, I’m going to play like that and I’m a center forward he told Guardiola to leave in a bad way, overcome by a Bojan who knew how to step aside, attack from the band.
Before he left the Eto’o team and then it was Villa’s turn to adapt to the lane since when they signed him they advised him not to compete for goals with Messi because he would end up losing. It was not a simple relationship, but El Guaje ended up meeting the diagonals as Griezmann does now. Or as Henry learned in his day the only Frenchman who surpasses him in goals with Barça (49 in 121 games), now that Antoine (26 in 77) has already equaled Giuly (who did them in 124) all forwards who they were signified by their exquisite definition.
With Leo in the middle, Neymar arrived to take off at least one defender, also cronies like Pedro, dressings like Alexis, and promotions from Tello and Cuenca, even from Deulofeu at times. But Suarez joined and changed history again. Leo asked Luis Enrique to let him return to the band because Suarez was much more damaging near the area. And these things, Leo sees them says a player who was in that dressing room. Moments of wine and rose for Barcelona, which with the MSN (Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar) returned to make with Luis Enrique the triplet that Guardiola inaugurated.
We have never had such a good trident Pique reflected at the time. Iniesta also gave his opinion. Henry, Eto’o we have always had the greatest. But these three at their finest are unmatched. For me they are the three number one and the future must be even better: they are young and have a spectacular future. Now it’s something else.
UPS AND DOWNS TO THE LEFT
Koeman had Ansu Fati as a fixed left-winger until he was seriously injured, a penalty to which he has given many laps. Since then, Pedri has paraded at the beginning nine times; followed by Coutinho and Griezmann (4), Dembele (3), in addition to one of Riqui Puig, Braithwaite (2), Junior, and Jordi Alba. But now, at last, it seems Griezmann’s position, which no longer goes deep down the side or throws fruitless breaks, but goes inside to make room for Alba’s incursions, also to step on the area or limit its functions to the quick touch and, above all, collective.
Against Granada, for example, he gave eight passes with his back to the goal, twice as many as Messi, De Jong, and Riqui, second in the statistics. And it is going great because he already has 12 goals – the minutes of the match give him the first against Granada in the Cup even though his shot went to the post and from there to Aarón’s body and then to the net – and eight assists in the season, numbers similar to the totals of the previous year (15 and 4).
I have been very well since January, with the confidence of my teammates and the coach it is easier. They are streaks and you have to take advantage of them, Griezmann resolved after Granada. With his effectiveness, we are more dangerous, Koeman closed, happy that the Frenchman had participated in four goals in the same game for the first time since arriving at the Camp Nou. Surely because Griezmann already enters the equation of all.
