Simeone on Griezmann's farewell: 'There won’t be another like him' | OneFootball

Atlético de Madrid's coach spoke about the Frenchman, who this Sunday will play his last match in front of the home crowd.

Diego Simeone, coach of Atlético de Madrid, spoke about the departure of Antoine Griezmann, who this Sunday will play his last match at the Metropolitano, when Los Colchoneros face Girona on Matchday 37 of La Liga: “It’s clear there won’t be another like him. The responsibility of carrying the team was placed on him, on Koke, with his experience, with his presence. We’re going to miss him“. Starting in July, the Frenchman will continue his career with Orlando City in MLS.

At the pre-match press conference, El Cholo set sporting matters aside, at least for a moment, and described what his bond with Griezmann is like: “We have a very close relationship with his family. There isn’t just one moment that defines a relationship that has been built over time. Without ever crossing that line… Coach, friendship.” He also explained that he felt deep joy and happiness when his return to the team was finalized in 2021, first on loan, after an unproductive spell at Barcelona. “We knew a genius was coming back,” he said.

“I’d like him to be remembered for what he is. A good person, a noble guy, a responsible man who was always there for whatever Atlético de Madrid needed. He had the humility to come back and win over the people again, people who, because of the love they had for him, were upset (Editor’s note: that displeasure came from his move to Barça for 120 million euros),” the Argentine coach argued when asked how the 35-year-old footballer should be remembered.

Although he described him as a replaceable player, while Simeone understands that everyone is in life, he also highlighted him as “a special player.” Having arrived in mid-2014 from Real Sociedad, Griezmann has built a historic legacy at Atlético: tomorrow will be his 500th match in the Colchonero shirt, with which he has recorded 212 goals — making him the club’s all-time top scorer — and 99 assists during his time at the institution. As if that were not enough, he has also won a Spanish Super Cup (2014), a UEFA Europa League (17-18), and a UEFA Super Cup (2018).

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.