Griezmann steals the thunder
PRIZED ASSET Simeone urges Frenchman to stay put at Atletico after his stellar show in Europa final
LYON: Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone praised the “decisive” Antoine Griezmann after his two goals helped down Olympique de Marseille 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday and tried to convince the striker to resist the lure of Barcelona.
The France international produced an ice-cool finish beyond Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda to put Atletico in charge and he started and finished an exquisite move which effectively killed off the French side early in the second half.
Captain Gabi’s late strike rubber-stamped Atletico’s third Europa League triumph since 2010 and gave Griezmann his first major trophy with the team.
“Griezmann today confirmed what he has been doing year by year. He was decisive in the most important moment in the game,” Simeone told a news conference.
“I hope that he is happy to play for us. He’s played three finals with us and won two. Now we are in the Uefa Super Cup, so he could play four finals with us. So on a sporting level we aren’t so far from the clubs that have more power than us.”
Griezmann has been Atletico’s leading scorer in each season since he joined from Real Sociedad for 25 million euros ($30 million) in 2014, and his double took him on to 29 goals in all competitions this campaign.
Griezmann had hogged most of the attention before the final amid speculation he would end his four-year stay at Atletico to move to Barcelona when his buyout clause drops to €100 million.
“It’s a decision that he will have to come to. Whatever he decides I’ll be happy because he has given us his life,” Simeone added. “If he stays I’ll be delighted and if he leaves I’ll be grateful for everything he’s done for us. If he stays we’ll keep growing because we are destined to keep growing.”
The 27-year-old Griezmann declined to discuss whether he would stay or leave Atletico at the end of the season. “I think now is not the moment to talk about my future, I just want to enjoy myself after my performance, after winning a trophy and I want to celebrate with the fans,” Griezmann told reporters.
on either side of half-time to power Atletico to a two-goal lead before Gabi sealed the game. The Frenchman has been pivotal to the Spanish side’s success in Europe this season, scoring eight goals and assisting on four occasions, in both Champions League and Europa League.
two heartbreaks in the Champions League final against Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016, Atletico Madrid have finally managed to lift a European title after a six-year wait. This marked Atletico’s third Europa League title in nine years. They had beaten Fulham 2-1 in 2010 and defeated Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in 2012. They are yet to lose a Europa final.
have dominated European competitions since the start of the 2013/14 campaign. The clubs have won eight of the possible nine Champions League and Europa League trophies combined, with Manchester United’s win in this competition last season being the only exception. Griezmann 21, 49 Gabi 89