Griezmann looks to derail Barca’s title charge

Madrid, March 3: Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann goes up against Barcelona on Sunday, looking to derail the title charge of a club he may yet join in the summer.

Barca were forced last month to deny claims they had agreed a deal to sign the Frenchman, whose relentless run of form since the turn of the year now stands as the principal threat to them toasting a 25th La Liga triumph.

In January, Barcelona and Atletico were separated by 11 points at the top of the table but win this weekend, and Diego Simeone’s side will have cut that gap to two.

Barca’s slip at Las Palmas on Thursday, a day after Atletico claimed their eighth consecutive victory over Leganes, means the balance has tipped back towards the capital.

But, just as Griezmann has been the driving force behind their resurgence, with an outstanding 12 goals in nine games, the 26- year- old will be key again if Atletico are to inflict Barca’s this season.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s own title aspirations are long gone, with their focus firmly shifted to the Champions League and next week’s secondleg clash with PSG.

Domestic fixtures have become something similar to European trials, with the likes of Gareth Bale, first defeat Marcos Asensio and Isco all missing the chance to push their case in defeat at Espanyol.

Zinedine Zidane’s treatment of Bale in particular, left out earlier this month against Leganes and then deployed as a centre forward in midweek, hardly seems to have smoothed the way for a return to form.