Ronald Koeman faces his first classic and the last great signing of Barcelona the third most expensive player in the clubs history the first if only the fixed amounts of the operation are taken into account he does not know if he has a place in the eleven initial.
The lace of Antoine Griezmann 29 for which Barça paid Atlético de Madrid the 120 million euros of its termination clause plus another 15 for a right of first refusal on Saúl and Giménez Dembélé cost 105 plus 40 in variables and Coutinho 120 plus 40 is a headache for his coaches “Like anyone Antoine has options to play It is not good to discuss their role in each game There are more players We want everyone to be at the highest level The team is the most important thing and we choose the best for each match ” the Dutch coach decided bluntly.
With Valverde Griezmann was only left out of Barcelonas defeat of Sevilla 40 However when Setién took command at the Camp Nou the forward began to lose prominence in important duels He started as a substitute against Athletic in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey played a minute against Atlético after the return from confinement and jumped onto the field in the second half in the humiliating Bayern Munich win in Lisbon With Koeman he did not complete any game in LaLiga and in the Champions League debut against Ferencvaros he spent the entire duel on the bench.
Everything changed for Griezmann in the summer of 2018 He became world champion with France but he won the suspicion of Barcelonas heavyweights after he announced in a documentary produced by Piqué that he was staying at Atlético And that Messi had already opened the door of the locker room I like him he is one of the best right now said the Argentine before traveling to Russia But Bartomeus board was not bothered by the Frenchs rudeness and a summer later they signed him What is he going to play.
They asked themselves in the locker room On the right is Messi and 9 is Suárez “We are not concerned he is an intelligent person who always knew how to overcome adversity He already did it at Real and also at Atlético ” they defended Griezmann in the offices.