Griezmann empties himself as minutes accumulate: "Playing every three days subjects the player to a high probability of injury"

The first half died in the Metropolitano and Atlético de Madrid lost 0-1 against Athletic de Bilbao. The team was not having a bad game, but there was a lack of a spark at an offensive level that usually featured a Frenchman who seemed unknown. So much so that in an inconsequential split ball in the midfield, Antoine Griezmann arrived late and stepped on Oihan Sancet's ankle with his studs.. The tackle went unnoticed by the field referee and the VAR did not enter because the color was torn between orange and red.

Although it is difficult to be in the players' heads, if we turn to Griezmann's history we deduce that the Frenchman did not intend to harm the Basque midfielder but that the lack of physicality made him arrive late and hit the rival's joint hard, which, fortunately, did not. had trouble continuing. This action was not something specific, the striker wandered around the field and even, on occasions, decided wrongly.. Something, by the way, that is not usually normal either.. What happens to Griezmann then?

If we turn to the physical aspect, it makes sense that the Frenchman is tired. Griezmann is the second outfield player with the most minutes in the Atlético de Madrid squad, only surpassed by Witsel. There are 2,768 for the Belgian and 2,762 for the French, a minimal difference at a quantitative level, but important at a qualitative level.. Griezmann, due to his position, makes more efforts at high intensity than Witsel. “Football is a non-cyclical system,” says Jonatan Rotaexte, physical trainer and director of Henao Sports, about a sport of punctual and non-constant efforts.

If we talk about seasons, this is one of the most physically demanding for the Frenchman.. Of the 15 that he has been present in professional football, only in two of them has he played more minutes per game than in this one.. The forward played 85.7 minutes per game in 2016/17 and 84.6 in 2018/19. We are talking about 4,544 minutes in 53 games in the first and 4,062 in 48 duels in the second. In this one, in which he has played 34 games, he plays 81 minutes per game, six more than the previous season.. And, in addition, it is seven years older than in 2017. “Playing every three days subjects the player to a high probability of injury,” confirms Rotaetxe.

“He has a lot of minutes,” club sources say about the Frenchman and remember, precisely, that he plays everything for his country.. In fact, Simeone already complained after a national team break in November about the lack of sensitivity with the footballer's physique.. “It's a shame that clubs have to manage players,” lamented the Argentine coach.

That is something that happens less with big stars, and Griezmann is it.. “He knows how to manage himself,” Cholo himself says of the Frenchman and Rotaexte confirms it: “The quality player manages space and time and allows him to manage his efforts.. His perception allows him to have more time to act.”. However, it looks strange for an all-rounder like him.. If something has stood out about the new Griezmann who returned to Atlético in 2021 with the intention that the fans would forgive his three-year chapter at FC Barcelona, it is his effort and his commitment.

He maintains his commitment, but in these last matches Griezmann has been seen as somewhat more apathetic.. With sporadic stellar appearances, such as the wonderful pass to Lino to open the scoring against Valencia or the duel won against Chavarría to win the match against Rayo in the last breath. But with much less presence in the game than at the beginning of the season where it was the offensive epicenter of Atlético de Madrid.

good numbers

Griezmann has 18 goals and seven assists, stratospheric numbers, but they have been slowed down, especially the scoring aspect, in these last matches.. In the league he has not scored since his double on December 19, 2023, matchday 18, in which his team tied 3-3 with Getafe at home. Then he scored in both matches against Madrid in the Super Cup and Cup with different results.. However, in assists on goal, the Frenchman has achieved four in the last five games.

On an emotional level, they say from the club that he is “as always” and they talk about him being a joking player “who makes a group” and that he is the first to welcome the new additions as Gabriel Paulista highlighted in his presentation. “Seeing him next to me left me calm with the jokes, the music, he left me calm to be able to work. Now, to enjoy by his side,” highlighted the defender of the red-and-white star intermittently in this last period.