“This will be my stadium, I want to score goals.” That’s what Antoine Griezmann thought when he grew up in Zubieta. So he “played rather as an organizer, a kind of number 10”, he recalled in his biography, behind a smile. It was 2006. Today, in 2022, he returns to that stadium that, in effect, he managed to put at his feet with his goals, to close a strange season. He started it at Barça, three days before jumping to where he felt he should not have gone, the arms of Cholo, Atleti. But when he was Griezmann again, a Carvajal entry in December took him to the infirmary for three weeks and then a month and a half.. He returns to Donosti with Cholo’s confidence intact but his boots dry (three goals in the League, the worst mark of his career). Back, perhaps, to that Grizi who looked at Anoeta with dreams of a child. He is practicing out of 10 as he has shone the most this course. The Griezmann who sacrifices himself and makes play. Loaned by Barça, the purchase obligation is for 2023. Cerezo two days ago confirmed that it will continue. It is capital for the Cholo (follow the match live on AS.com).
A Cholo who closes today his most irregular season at Atleti. He was looking to be champion again, like last year, but he got lost between 4-4-2 and 5-3-2. He recognized it himself yesterday, in the press room. Perhaps it was Trippier’s absence, first the injury, then the January departure to Newcastle, that his board lost two players at the same time: that key side and Marcos Llorente, off behind.
A Royal Society for a record
The one tonight, in addition to farewells, the last of Suárez, of Herrera, the two fired already in the Metropolitan (Vrsaljko and Felipe end contract but, it seems, they can continue), it will be a game for pride. There is still something at stake: being third. And for Cholo it is not trivial. He was never below that place in LaLiga. Never in ten years. It would also mean seven million. Without Javi Serrano, who received a strong blow on Friday and did not even train yesterday, Kondogbia returns to take his place in eleven. An eleven without too many doubts: the same as a week ago except Cunha for Suárez. Cunha with Grizi.
Opposite, this Real de Imanol already has the course closed: for the third year in a row it achieves a European ticket, something that only happened with Ormaetxea. They can no longer take 5th place from Betis, even if they won and matched it on points. They play for a record: breaking the record for clean sheets from 42 years ago. He has 20, like Arconada in the 79-80. Silva is low at the last minute and will miss the duel. Like João, who did not arrive and has already started his vacation. But Griezmann will be there. In Anoetta. Today the father of two girls and a boy who will see him play where he dreamed of when he was a kid. He will always, always be special.