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Departing Atletico Madrid forward, Antoine Griezmann on Sunday publicly acknowledged that his 2019 move to Barcelona was a mistake.
The 35-year-old Frenchman stated this during an emotional farewell speech to Atletico Madrid fans.
Griezmann, who made his 500th appearance for Atletico in a 1-0 La Liga victory over Girona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, reflected on his career as he prepared to leave for Major League Soccer with Orlando City.
In his address, Griezmann addressed his departure to Barcelona for €120 million in the summer of 2019, a move that strained his relationship with Atletico supporters at the time.
“I made a mistake joining Barcelona,” he said.
“I was very young. I didn’t realise the affection I had here… I thought it through and we did everything to come back and enjoy it again.”
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Griezmann returned to Atletico on loan in 2021 before making the move permanent in 2022.
He went on to rebuild his legacy at the club, contributing 210 goals and 100 assists across 483 games in his two spells, along with two Europa League titles.
Teammates including captain Koke and coach Diego Simeone praised the forward’s character and commitment during the send-off, while fans chanted his name in appreciation.
Griezmann walked out onto the pitch with his four children, all wearing Atletico kits.
The forward’s time at Barcelona was mixed. He scored 35 goals in 102 appearances but struggled to fully integrate into the team’s style and faced criticism over his form and fit alongside Lionel Messi.
He departed the club in 2022 after limited success.
