Key Takeaways
- Antoine Griezmann will leave Atletico Madrid for Orlando City when the current season ends
- The French forward wants to win the Champions League as a farewell gift to the supporters
- Atletico Madrid face Arsenal in the semi-finals, with the first leg taking place this week
The Champions League semi-finals have arrived. Atletico Madrid are preparing for a major clash with Arsenal. Every supporter is looking at Antoine Griezmann. The veteran forward is playing his final matches for the Spanish club.
Griezmann will move to Orlando City in Major League Soccer next summer. However, he asked the American club to wait. He wanted to stay in Madrid until June. The 35-year-old hopes to say goodbye properly to the fans.
Earlier this month, manager Diego Simeone showed rare emotion. Before any reporter asked a question, he spoke about his star player. “You are an admirable person,” the Argentine said. Griezmann looked visibly moved by these words.
The World Cup winner is now the club’s record goalscorer. He has found the net 212 times in 494 appearances. His career in Spain started at Real Sociedad in 2009. He joined Atletico in 2014. He spent two years at Barcelona before returning to Madrid in 2022.
Few people know that Griezmann nearly signed for Arsenal in 2013. The transfer failed at the last moment. The player wrote about this disappointment in his autobiography. He said he lost trust in the London club after that. One year later, he chose Atletico instead.
Griezmann represents more than just goals. He works hard on the pitch. He helps the defence. He sacrifices himself for the team. These qualities make him the perfect Simeone player. The coach often praises his humility and leadership.
The Frenchman has not won many trophies with Atletico. He lifted the Europa League and the Spanish Super Cup. However, the Champions League trophy is missing. The club lost three finals in 1974, 2014 and 2016.
After beating Barcelona in the quarter-finals, Griezmann showed his feelings. He ran back onto the pitch alone. He clapped for the supporters at the Metropolitano stadium. His team-mates soon joined him for an emotional celebration.
Now comes the difficult test against Arsenal. Neither club has won this competition before. For Griezmann, this semi-final could be his last chance. He dreams of lifting the trophy in Budapest to heal old wounds.