Why have Atletico Madrid only played Antoine Griezmann after 60 minutes this season?
Why have Atletico Madrid only played Antoine Griezmann after 60 minutes this season? In the first Champions League game of the 2022/23 season, Atletico Madrid and Porto combined for three goals. All three in the second half’s overtime.
The game’s deciding goal didn’t occur until the 101st minute. The game’s eventual goal-getter entered the action in the 61st minute. The situation was now normal to him. The thousands of spectators at Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium and the millions more watching on televisions across the world had the same reaction.
As predictable as the 60th minute of every football game and the introduction of Antoine Griezmann as an Atleti replacement has been, nothing has been more predictable this season.
With barely 165 minutes of game time this season, he has yet to set foot on the field in any of his six outings. The 31-year-old is terrific, scoring three goals in that period, two of which were game-winners for the Spanish side. Matches haven’t been won with this strategy. Much more of a monetary barrier that must be surmounted.
Antoine Griezmann signed a two-year loan deal with Atletico Madrid from FC Barcelona last season, but the club is restricted from giving him much playing time due to a condition in his contract.
What is the clause?
If Griezmann plays more than 50 percent of the games during the two-year loan period, Atletico Madrid must buy him from Barcelona for €40 million. You are regarded to have played if you appear on the field for at least 45 minutes during a match.
For this purpose, only games in which the Frenchman is not unavailable due to injury, suspension, or other exclusionary circumstances shall count. The eight La Liga games Griezmann missed last season due to injury and the Champions League game he was suspended for will not count against Atletico’s total.
Will Barca sue Atletico?
A disagreement about a nebulous clause has arisen with only one season left on the contract. Since Griezmann played at least 45 minutes in 81% of the games he was eligible for last season, Barcelona claims the clause is already in effect. So the team wants to sue Atletico for breaking the contract.
However, Atletico maintains that Griezmann’s obligatory clause will not kick in until he has played at least 45 minutes in 50% of matches “over” his two loan seasons.
Many have wondered why Atletico Madrid has been waiting until the 60th minute to sub in Antoine Griezmann, rather than the 46th or 47th, to make the most of a clause in the player’s contract to increase his playing time. The team he is currently playing for is taking it easy on him in this regard.
It’s not uncommon for football games to go over the standard two halves of 45 minutes each, as was the case when Atletico Madrid faced Porto.
As a result of the ambiguity in the contract’s wording, Barcelona may argue that the terms “45 minutes” or “half a game” refer to the entire game, not just the first 90 minutes. An argument that, if successful, would bring the clause into closer alignment with Barcelona’s interests. Thus, the 60-minute mark serves as a sort of safety net.
How did it come to this?
After the €120 million purchase from two years prior failed to pan out for Barcelona, it was clear that the Catalan club wanted to move Griezmann by the end of the 2021 summer transfer window.
Along with the club’s massive financial burden, this is why they allowed Lionel Messi to depart for Paris. President of the club Joan Laporta was pressed to keep salaries paid. Griezmann’s annual salary of 17 million euros was a substantial sum. Consequently, an agreement was reached on the final day of the transfer window.
Where do the clubs stand?
Barca was so eager to sever ties with Griezmann that the club was willing to cancel a €120 million transfer investment, including a €35 million short-term bank loan and an €85 million mortgaging of future profits.
The club’s financial situation has worsened, and paying out another €20 million in salaries would eat up a significant portion of Barcelona’s LaLiga budget.
Barcelona wants nothing to do with the 2018 World Cup champions, France, and the persistent rumors that they intend to sue Atletico attest to this. According to manager Xavi, “there is no argument here; we think he is an Atletico Madrid player,” as he stated at a recent press conference.
What does it mean for Griezmann?
Since Antoine Griezmann has been limited to cameo appearances for his club team, his club career’s future and participation in this year’s World Cup remain in doubt.
Playing a forward with little to no 90-minute match experience in the buildup to the tournament during the middle of the regular season is asking a lot of the defending champions.
He would be better off at Atletico Madrid, where he has played the most and scored the most goals. And it looks like that’s what Griezmann decides on as well. He recently remarked, “I just want to play here and give everything for the club, for Cholo, and for the fans,” after scoring another of his game-winning goals.
However, there are a lot of ifs and buts that must be resolved first. The French don’t put a premium on old age as a culture. It would be tough for the club to commit €40 million (not including wages) for a 32-year-old forward.
The protagonist can sum up the situation in just five words: “It is what it is.”