Atletico forward Griezmann: It was really difficult to reject Barcelona

Atletico forward Griezmann: It was really difficult to reject Barcelona

Antoine Griezmann decidió seguir en el Atlético de Madrid pese a la oferta del Barça
Antoine Griezmann decidió seguir en el Atlético de Madrid pese a la oferta del Barça | AFP

The French international snubbed Barça to sign a new deal with the Rojiblanco

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has confessed on Canal+ back in France that it was really hard to say no to Barcelona last summer. 

Griezmann, who starred in a documentary about his decision (produced by Gerard Pique's company), was the subject of an offer from Barça, but decided to sign a new deal with Atletico. 

His decision -- and especially his way of airing it on television -- drew criticism, with Barcelona not learning until the last minute of his plans. 

"[Was it] difficult to reject Barça? Very difficult," he admitted. "You have Barça who want you, who call you, who get messages to you, be that through players or my family.

"And then you have a club where you're happy, you're an important player in terms of the project... Atletico did everything possible to keep me.

"What tipped the balance? Seeing my teammates and especially the coach after the game when I was booed. [Simeone] came to my house out of the blue to calm me down, speak to me and show that I had his backing."

Griezmann also suggested there was another reason: "Unconsciously, the fact [I would be] the deputy to [Lionel] Messi maybe had something to do with it, but my teammates and the club did everything possible [to keep me]. 

"They came to talk with me, they raised my salary... The did everything the could to show that Atletico was my home and that I didn't need to leave." 

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