Atletico Madrid supporters booed Antoine Griezmann as the forward, who was reportedly offered to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, made his second home debut for the club.
Griezmann returned to the Wanda Metropolitano on loan from Barcelona last month after two years at the Camp Nou. The Frenchman spent five seasons in Madrid before moving to Catalunya for £108m, where he scored 35 goals and provided 17 assists in 102 outings.
Diego Simeone handed Griezmann his 259th appearance for Atletico on Wednesday when the Colchoneros faced Porto in the Champions League. The tie ended goalless and saw Atleti fans boo their returning star, signed with a £34.5m obligation to buy.
Griezmann entered the action as the fourth of five second-half substitutions for his second home Atletico debut. He marked his return to the La Liga outfit with a start in their 2-1 win at Espanyol on Sunday. But the season could have been very different for the 30-year-old.
Reports by L’Equipe in July claimed Barcelona offered Griezmann to Tottenham before they later agreed a deal with Atletico Madrid. ABC also reported this summer that Spurs were prepared to meet all requirements for a transfer. But only if Harry Kane left north London.
Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy, ultimately, blocked Kane – who Sky Sports note asked to leave – from joining Manchester City, however. Taking one escape route away from the Camp Nou hierarchy as they sought to offload Griezmann and his £594k-a-week contract.
Atletico Madrid fans let Griezmann know he was not returning to the Metropolitano as a hero on Wednesday. Supporters jeered and whistled his name from before kick-off.
Griezmann: Offered to Tottenham, to Atletico fans booing on return
Griezmann was always likely to get a rough reception on his return to the Metropolitano for his second home Atletico Madrid debut, after Tottenham passed on a summer swoop.
Eduardo Fernandez, the President of fan group Atletico de Madrid International Penas Union, told L’Equipe ahead of the game : “Part of the audience will whistle and insult him, that’s for sure. When his name is announced and as soon as he touches the ball.
“A minority will still applaud him. Even though I didn’t like what he did, and remember him and forgive him, I’m not going to do either. Like the majority of supporters, because to whistle one of our players is to shoot yourself in the foot.”
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