Barça new boy Antoine Griezmann: "I can't wait for Messi to arrive"

Antoine Griezmann is currently on his first tour with new club FC Barcelona. However, his move to the club has caused a lot of controversy with Atletico Madrid determined to take the case to LaLiga in order to earn more money from the deal. In an interview with MARCA, Griezmann expressed his wish from the unsavoury side of his move to disappear quickly. "I know I'll get whistled at the Wanda Metropolitano, but I'll always have Atletico in my heart."

Griezmann has enjoyed his first few days at the club and is looking forward to what comes next. When his move was confirmed, the forward knew who he had to speak with. "I called my father and I started to cry with happiness because I was there, everything was done. I was with my friends, my wife and my children and it was an incredible moment."

The forward can't complain about the welcome he's been given by the Barça squad and even had dinner with Jordi Alba the other night.  "Barcelona are building a team like in a video game: Luis Suarez, Messi, Dembele, Frenkie de Jong. We have a good team, great players and then it's the boss that has to decide who plays. We'll be ready to enjoy ourselves and make the fans and ourselves happy at all times."

One man he is looking forward to seeing day in, day out is Lionel Messi. "I'm excited to see what he's like in training, I want to see him doing things in training that I will try to repeat or do in my own way and get to know him both on and off the pitch. I can't wait for him to arrive. I will be ready to do whatever it takes: for him, for the club and for the players."

Griezmann also gave his opinion on Neymar being added to this 'dream team' squad at Barça. "Well yes, it makes it even more difficult for the boss and it's more competition within the group. He's a great player. I know him a bit and we'll see what happens."

His painful departure from Atleti

Griezmann tried to explain that he wanted to leave Atletico, a club he has a deep history with, on much better terms. "Don't forget that we spoke in his (Miguel Angel Gil Marin) own home with Andrea (Berta) and El Cholo (Simeone). The most important thing for me is that I tried to leave on the best possible terms, in the way that the club said to, I'd have liked to have done it in the way that Juanfran and Diego did, but they asked me to do it with a video. I said my goodbyes to the players, the staff, the physios and everyone, that was the most important thing."

As for his initial thoughts on Ernesto Valverde, Griezmann said: "Yes, it seems like he's always wanted me. There were always comments and now I'm looking forward to being with him, to see what he's like day to day, in training, in matches. He has a player for everything at his disposal here."

Griezmann explains that whilst he had the Uruguayan group at Atletico, with Barça he's spending time with his fellow countrymen."Right now we're going to try to get Ousmane (Dembele) to speak more in Spanish and we're already seeing it."

As for the ambitions for this season, Griezmann is as ambitious as the supporters. "If you ask the fans, they will say it's winning the three trophies. And the players and the board would say that too. We are capable of winning everything. It will be difficult, but we'll work towards it."