Griezmann: "I still haven't decided if I'll stay at Atlético"
The France striker gave an interview with German outlet spox.com during which he discussed his Champions League obsession and his club situation.
Antoine Griezmann has admitted he is still unsure if he will remain at Atlético Madrid ahead of the 2018-19 season amid interest from Barcelona.
Speaking to German media outlet spox.com, the France international said of his club future: “I’m thinking about it; I still haven’t decided.”
However, Griezmann also said that winning the Champions League is an obsession “for me and for the club” after the disappointment of losing twice in the final in recent seasons to city rivals Real Madrid. “I’ve always wanted to win the Champions League since I was a kid, it’s always been my main objective.”
Griezmann: "The penalty in Milan was in my head for weeks"
Looking back on the final in Milan in 2016, Griezmann admitted his missed spot kick during the 90 minutes haunted him after Real lifted the title after a penalty shoot-out: “It was a really tough blow to take because we thought we had won after we scored. I couldn’t get that penalty miss out of my head for weeks. At times like that you have to try and not think about it. It’s easy enough during the day but when you’re lying in bed it all comes back and the images go through your mind. But I’d take a penalty again in a final. ”
Griezmann added that the Europa League triumph over Marseille was a huge psychological lift both for himself and for Atlético. “It was very important. I’d been close to a major title several times with my club and country, I missed out on the Champions League and the European Championship in the same year and the final in Lyon was a great opportunity for us.”
Speaking about his early career, the France striker said he was grateful to Spanish football for giving him a chance he was denied in his home country, which he left at the age of 14 to join Real Sociedad’s academy. “France and Spain have completely different philosophies. In France you have to be a certain size or you’re discarded. In Spain they pay more attention to talent, to tactical and technical skills. That was a system that was more adapted to me and [moving to Spain] was the only way I could achieve my dream of becoming a professional football player.”
