The transfer of striker Antoine Griezanna from Atletico to Barcelona is already a fait accompli, but the scandal surrounding him does not subside even a few days after the conclusion of an official agreement. Madrid President Enrique Cerezo said that in the near future the club intends to prove in court the existence of a number of violations when signing a contract between the French and the Catalans. In addition, the complaint will be submitted to the International Football Federation (FIFA).
"Barcelona" announced the signing of the striker in mid-July, agreeing to pay him € 120 million. At the same time, in accordance with his previous contract, before July 1, the compensation amount was € 200 million. the club was concluded in early March, but this fact was concealed. In this regard, Atletico intends to demand the remaining € 80 million.
“Once the club has made such a statement, it means that we have evidence. We have to study everything, after which we will demand the amount we deem necessary, ”said Cerezo in an interview with radio station RAC1.
It is worth noting that Atletico blames in this situation not only Barcelona, but also the player himself, who, in their opinion, disrespectful not only of his professional duties, but also of the team, which he played since July 2014 . So, despite the instructions of the club management, he did not arrive at the pre-season gathering of the team, which started a few days before the intended transfer.
“I am disappointed with his attitude. He wanted to leave, but did not tell us about this until the last minute, ”added Cerezo.
On July 12, a lawyer representing the interests of Griezmann arrived at the office of the Spanish La Liga to pay the amount of compensation for his client. On the same day it became known about the transfer of the attacker to Barcelona. His contract is valid until June 2024. The official presentation of the attacker in the new team will take place on July 14.
"Turning to Barcelona, the Frenchman took a step forward in his career, given his desire to become one of the best footballers in the world," said a statement published on the official blue garnet website.
Immediately after the conclusion of the contract, Griezmann assured the fans that he would faithfully protect the colors of the Catalans.
“As a child, my father always said that everything in this life happens for a reason. Now it’s time for me to take a new challenge. Finally, our paths crossed. I will defend the colors of Barcelona with determination and dedication. It is our time. This is our way, "- said in a video message posted on Twitter team.
Griezmann announced his retirement from Atletico in May of this year, arguing his desire to achieve new heights in football. At the same time, rumors began to appear about his transfer to several European top clubs at once, but the player himself chose not to disclose his plans to continue his career. One of the teams who wished to receive the 2018 world champion was Barcelona. However, the negotiations were on the verge of collapse several times, including because of the discontent of the fans, as well as Catalan players, who recalled the Frenchman’s refusal to join the team a year ago.
In mid-June, it became known that the Madrid were ready to let go of the striker. However, then the president of Barcelona Josep Maria Bartomeu said that Grizmann had been negotiating with the Catalans since March, when Atletico played in the Champions League and was preparing for the most important match of the 1/8 final against Juventus in Turin, and continued to fight for the title La Liga. The club was outraged by the behavior of the attacker and began to actively oppose his transfer.
The current transition Griezmann became the sixth in the list of the most expensive transfers in the history of football. If the sum of compensation for the acquisition of the Frenchman was € 200 million, the deal between Atletico and Barcelona would rise to the second line and yield only to the transfer of Brazilian striker Neimar, who left the blue garnet camp in August 2017 for a record € 222 million .
In addition, the purchase of a Frenchman led the Catalans to the first place in the list of teams that spent the most in the transfer market over the past five years. During this period of time, they gave a total of € 1.08 billion, while receiving only € 627 million.
On the way to acquiring a Frenchman, Barcelona faced not only accusations of financial fraud and general condemnation, but also major money problems. So, it was reported that its employees did not receive a salary on time, and the club itself had to take a loan at all. However, the latest information has been refuted by the leadership of the current champions of the Spanish Examples.