Antoine Griezmann, a prominent player for Atlético Madrid, has issued a sincere apology to the club’s fanbase. This comes as he seeks forgiveness for his past decision to leave the Rojiblancos for their La Liga rivals, Barcelona.
Griezmann made the significant move from Spain’s capital to Catalonia in a high-profile transfer back in the summer of 2019. However, the transfer ultimately proved to be unsuccessful for both parties involved. The French forward struggled to adapt to his new environment and Barcelona’s offensive system.
This led to a swift return to Atlético, initially on a loan deal, and then a permanent transfer in 2022. Following his final home game for Atlético, Griezmann seized the opportunity to address the supporters and offer his apology.
Speaking to the crowd at the Metropolitano stadium after a 1-0 victory over Girona, the 35-year-old stated: “Now is when everything gets difficult for me. First of all, thank you all for staying. This is unbelievable. Secondly, and something very important to me, I know many of you already did and some maybe still haven’t, but I want to apologise once again. I didn’t realize the love I had here. I was very young. I made a mistake, I reflected on it, and we did everything possible to come back and enjoy it all again.”
English Translation:
Antoine Griezmann, a star player for Atlético Madrid, on Sunday issued a heartfelt apology to the club’s fanbase. This was in a final push for forgiveness regarding his decision to depart the Rojiblancos for La Liga rivals Barcelona.
Frontman Griezmann, of course, swapped Spain’s capital for its Catalan equivalent in a big-money transfer back in the summer of 2019. The deal ultimately proved to be something of a failure for both parties, though, as the Frenchman struggled to settle into his new surroundings and Barcelona’s attacking setup.
This gave rise to a swift move back to Atlético, initially on loan, and then on a permanent basis in 2022. On Sunday, after playing his final home game in the red and white of his beloved Atléti, Griezmann therefore made use of the opportunity to issue an apology message.
Speaking in an address to the Metropolitano following a 1-0 win over Girona, the 35-year-old explained: “Now is when everything gets difficult for me. First of all, thank you all for staying. This is unbelievable. Secondly, and something very important to me, I know many of you already did and some maybe still haven’t, but I want to apologise once again. I didn’t realise the love I had here. I was very young. I made a mistake, I reflected on it, and we did everything possible to come back and enjoy it all again.”
