Antoine Griezmann once again started on the bench for Atletico Madrid's latest LaLiga clash

Antoine Griezmann introduced after 60 minutes AGAIN as suspicion mounts surrounding Atletico Madrid’s willingness to pay Barcelona a fee for the Frenchman with a lawsuit being threatened by the Catalan club

  • Atletico Madrid will have to pay Barcelona £35m if he plays in half their games
  • Payment is dependent on the percentage of games he plays 30 minutes or more
  • Barcelona feel as though Atletico Madrid already owe them the fee for the player

Atletico Madrid on Saturday night further risked the ire of their LaLiga rivals Barcelona by bringing Antoine Griezmann for the final 30 minutes once again. 

Griezmann, 31, is the subject of a deal between the two clubs that will see his two-year loan back to Atletico Madrid made permanent at the end of this season. 

The Madrid club brought the Frenchman back years after selling him to the Catalan giants on an initial loan deal with a view to making it permanent should certain conditions be met.

Antoine Griezmann once again started on the bench for Atletico Madrid's latest LaLiga clash

Antoine Griezmann once again started on the bench for Atletico Madrid’s latest LaLiga clash

Atletico Madrid will have to pay Barcelona £35m should Griezmann play 45 minutes or more in 80 per cent of the matches for which he is available over two years. 

Having played in 81 per cent of the fixtures he was available for last season, Barcelona, who have threatened a lawsuit against Atletico Madrid, believe they are already deserving of the fee. 

However, Atletico Madrid believe the deal applies to the two years of the initial loan agreement and as such appear to be withholding the Frenchman this season in essence to avoid the clause.

The French forward is the subject of a deal between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona that could see the Catalan side owed £35m

The French forward is the subject of a deal between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona that could see the Catalan side owed £35m 

Diego Simeone has brought Griezmann on for 28, 28, 26 and 27 minutes in La Liga this term, despite the forward being a key part of his squad last season. 

Against Celta Vigo on Saturday, the story was much the same with Griezmann being introduced after 62 minutes as Atletico Madrid won 4-1 to return to winning ways in the league.

Indeed, during the week with Atletico Madrid’s Champions League group stage tie against Porto finely poised at 0-0 Griezmann was introduced for the final half an hour with his goal in the 101st minute giving Simeone’s side all three points. 

Xavi's Barcelona believe Griezmann has met his £35 million buyout clause through games played last season

Xavi’s Barcelona believe Griezmann has met his £35 million buyout clause through games played last season

Barcelona are known to be cash-strapped and the money potentially owed to them by their La Liga rivals would prove an important sum for the club to stave off any further financial worries. 

Atletico Madrid do not seem too interested, however, in ensuring Barcelona’s financial security in relation to the Griezmann deal with Simeone – in conjunction with the club – seemingly keen to draw out the terms of the deal. 

Simeone’s side sit fourth in the league with 10 points from their opening five fixtures. They host Real Madrid in an early season Madrid derby on Sunday September 18. 

Advertisement

You May Also Like

England’s Kalvin Phillips backs Kyle Walker to stop Kylian Mbappe in last-16 clash

‘Kyle Walker is the quickest player I’ve ever seen!’: England’s Kalvin Phillips…

Napoli 4-2 Ajax: Another handball controversy as hosts book place in the last 16 of Champions League

Napoli: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Juan Jesus, Olivera, Zambo, Lobotka, Zielinski, Lozano,…

Cristiano Ronaldo cuts relaxed figure for World Cup as he touches down in Qatar

Cristiano Ronaldo touched down in Qatar with his game-face on ahead of the…

Jurgen Klopp appears to rule out Liverpool going into the market for a midfielder

‘It doesn’t look like anything will happen’: Jurgen Klopp appears to rule…