Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has been speaking about his former employee Antoine Griezmann in favourable tones. Speaking on El Larguero, with comments carried by Marca, Cerezo answered openly when asked about the future of his club, and even opened the door to re-signing Griezmann from Barcelona.
“Any team would be crazy about having Griezmann,” he said. “He’s a magnificent player and I hope to get him back, but I don’t think Barcelona want to sell him. He’s had magnificent seasons here and was built at Atletico.”
Griezmann’s return would create a front three of himself, Joao Felix and Luis Suarez, a tantalising prospect. Many have speculated on Felix’s future, but Cerezo was clear in underlining the Portuguese is going nowhere.
“There’s no option for him to leave,” he said. “He has to adapt. The day he takes off will be one of the most important in the world of football. Players aren’t machines, they have good and bad days. He’ll give many afternoons of glory to this club.”
Atletico have enjoyed an excellent season, but everything rides on its final day. Los Rojiblancos suffered disappointing exits from the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, but lead La Liga going into the final matchday. Atletico face Real Valladolid at the Jose Zorrilla on Saturday afternoon, and once they better Real Madrid’s result against Villarreal they win the league title, the second of Diego Simeone’s reign.
Felix may not have caught fire at the Wanda Metropolitano yet, two years after his big-money move from Benfica, but Suarez has been pivotal in their title charge, alongside Marcos Llorente and Jan Oblak. Suarez and Oblak have been decisive at either end while Llorente has operated as the beating heart of the team, a potent combination.
