This is Why Antoine Griezmann Would Be the Perfect Partner for Leo Messi

Antoine Griezmann with Atlético Madrid in May 2018
Antoine Griezmann with Atlético Madrid in May 2018. Photo by Matt McNulty/JMP/REX/Shutterstock (9663392bj)

One of the biggest news in the soccer transfer window of summer 2019 was the news that Antoine Griezmann would be moving on from Atletico de Madrid. The star forward has decided that he would like to try his luck at another club, and many have speculated that the club could be FC Barcelona.

On the other hand, other possibilities have been suggested for upgrading Barcelona’s attack, such as former team standout Neymar Jr. However, I think that the French forward would be the ideal candidate to pair up with Leo Messi in Barcelona’s attack.

Griezmann, for one, has proven to be one of the most electric and durable stars in soccer over recent seasons. The Frenchman has appeared in at least 48 games over the past three seasons and played every single one of Atletico’s minutes in the Champions League last season. Amazingly, during his entire career, the electric forward has astonishingly missed only one game due to injury.

With an aging front line that includes Messi and Luis Suarez, both of whom have missed significant time with injury over the past couple of seasons, a little bit of Griezmann’s consistency could go a long way. Griezmann is a year older than Neymar, but his physical condition and durability are much better.

Griezmann isn’t just a guy who’s on the field all the time, however. He’s also a capable goalscorer, even though he’s played the majority of his career with an Atletico Madrid team whose hallmark is gritty defense. He scored 21 goals in 48 matches last season despite a sluggish Colchonero offense. Over his tenure with the team, he scored 133 goals in 257 matches, meaning that he’s good for a goal every other match.

The good thing about his fit with Barcelona is that he won’t be under pressure to score a ton of goals. He isn’t a masterful scorer like Suarez or Messi, and that’s okay. Those two will carry the weight of Barcelona’s goalscoring offense, while Griezmann will be free to contribute as a secondary goal option and also as a distributor.

Griezmann has a fantastic vision of the field and consistency provides teammates with goalscoring opportunities. He finished fifth in La Liga with 9 assists in each of the last two seasons, a testament to just how good he is at finding his teammates in front of the net. This is something that Barcelona would undoubtedly benefit from.

In short, Griezmann is the ideal addition to a Barcelona team that is looking to lift the Champions League trophy for the first time since 2015. He’s a perfect fit for a team that needs another piece like him to take the next step forward.

Harley loves music and tries to go to a music festival every summer. When he's not listening to music, he writes about movies, food and wine, art, and sport.