MADRID.- The French forward of Atlético de Madrid, Antoine Griezmann, assured this Thursday that he wants the red and white fans to feel “proud of their 7”, in a tribute received as the Madrid club’s all-time top scorer, where he described his departure to Barcelona as a mistake.
“I made a mistake like anyone can make, but I do everything so that (the fans) are proud of their number 7,” said Griezmann during this event at the Metropolitan stadium.
Griezmann, scorer of 175 goals in 376 games for Atlético, is the Colchonero club’s all-time top scorer after surpassing the record of the legendary Luis Aragonés on January 10.
In the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh, which Atlético lost 5-3 in extra time, the French striker scored his 174th goal with the red and white shirt, surpassing the ‘Sabio de Hortaleza’ and his 173 goals.
“My wish was to do it here at home. It was our turn in Arabia against (Real) Madrid, but I had it in mind and I was really looking forward to it,” Griezmann said this Thursday at the event held at the Metropolitan stadium.
The French forward, who was supported by his teammates and his coach, Diego Simeone, admitted that he had been aiming for Aragonés’ record for some time.
“Since the preseason, in training I was warning my teammates that it was my goal and that I was going to shoot on goal many times,” explained the Frenchman.
Griezmann admitted that when he arrived at Atlético he knew little about Luis Aragonés, but “in the end you realize what he represents.”
“For me it is a legend and a goal to be able to get as close as possible to matching his goals,” added the French player, who assured that it was “very important” for him as a motivating factor.
“There are many names that have marked history here and being here is also something that makes me very proud,” he said.
Temporary farewell to Madrid:
Griezmann also explained that he decided to go to Barcelona, where he spent two seasons (2019-2021), because “he had reached the limit mentally.”
“You always think when you are in a place that it is better outside, I thought about it at that moment, and after a few months I realized that I was happier where I was at Atleti and in the end I tried to return,” he said.
Griezmann knew he would encounter hostility from the fans “because I had done a lot of damage, I was also angry with myself.”
“The first months I was very small” and then with work and goals, “little by little we began to have that connection that I love to have with my people,” he concluded.
FOUNTAIN: AFP
