Saint-Denis (AFP)
Far from his difficulties of adaptation to FC Barcelona, Antoine Griezmann is resourceful in Blue: the attacker remains the offensive boss of the France team, with a small breakdown of goals to repair Thursday against Moldova (20h45 / 19h45 GMT) and a qualification for the Euro-2020 game.
"There will be better days, some less good, because I just arrived," launched in mid-October Barça's flagship rookie after a big performance against Eibar (3-0). Since then, there have been especially mixed days in Catalonia, for him as his club, always waiting for a click of the new trio "GSM" (Griezmann-Suarez-Messi).
In Blue on the contrary, the situation is in good shape: at the training center Clairefontaine, where the French gather, we found three times this season the same "Grizou" lodger, teaser and constantly smiling the World Cup in Russia. "Equal to himself, always happy and jovial", according to his goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
The international truce, parenthesis enchanted in the heart of a season a little morose? "When he is in Barcelona, he is very happy too," retorts his teammate in both teams Clement Lenglet. "He has a smile every day, he's a good guy on and off the pitch."
- "Griezmann must get used" -
The figures, however, reflect a real difference between the performances of Griezmann in blaugrana and blue.
In only four international matches this season, he has already made as many assists as fifteen appearances Barcelona (three). And in selection, it remains on a series much more cheering than in club: in the last eight games where France scored, it was decisive (seven assists, a penalty provoked and scored by Olivier Giroud).
"Of course, he has his bearings here," explains Lenglet. "He plays as a second striker (...) so it may be a little easier for him to get opportunities" than the more eccentric position he plays in his new club.
It is difficult for the former Atlético Madrid player to integrate with the strong competition of Barça, with a pair Suarez-Messi so complicit, a game of one-of-a-kind passes.
"He comes from a team with another style, where he was asked to go a lot in space", recently analyzed the Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde. "We build our actions more, the timing is different (...) Players have to get used to Griezmann's game, and Griezmann has to get used to finding the right moment to do what he does."
- "Not chosen simplicity" -
The coach Didier Deschamps, who has made his base man since September, in the absence of executives like Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kanté (or Hugo Lloris in October) and star Kylian Mbappé, refuses to be alarmed at subject of his player tenure 24 times in a row in Blue, current series.
"He is there (in Barcelona) because he has the talent and the quality (...) It does not happen overnight," says the boss of the world champions. "He did not choose the simplicity, the ease, he calls himself into question (...) But his state of mind and his quality make that even if he is less well he is always there in a collective".
"DD" must still hope something deep inside him: that Griezmann put an end to its relative lack of efficiency among the Blues.
Indeed, the Barcelona has not scored in the last six international meetings, its biggest hole in the air for four years in selection. Difficult to correlate this situation with that he lives in club - where he scored four times since August - but the fact of missing two penalties in a row in September, against Albania and Andorra, did not have to boost his confidence .
Against Moldova on Thursday, and in Albania Sunday for the end of qualifying for the Euro-2020, the opportunity is beautiful for "Grizou" to regain its standards. And return to Catalonia with the full of oxygen.
© 2019 AFP