Barcelona and France striker Antoine Griezmann has predicted that his debut with the Catalans will be difficult, but what he has done so far, despite coming as a big star, has not lived up to the expectations of the Barcelona fans.
At the Camp Nou, Barca host Inter Milan today, looking to make up for their opening draw against Borussia Dortmund in the second round of the Champions League group stage. The world champion wants to prove himself in a team full of stars, led by Argentine Lionel Messi, who was finally crowned the best player in the world by the International Federation, and Griezmann after Barcelona released from Atletico Madrid on penalties of 120 million euros. "At the start of the season against Bilbao, he wasn't playing as we were looking for, but the team has to give our strikers the ball," said coach Ernesto Valverde. When Griezmann scored two goals in the next game against Real Betis, the Camp Nou fans thought it was the real start of their new striker.
But after five league games, Griezmann consolidated his goal with a single goal and a decisive pass, while he began to look for balance in other games, despite imposing himself in La Liga, during the last nine seasons with Atletico Madrid, and accepted by Real Sociedad.
After the recent win over Villarreal, Griezmann, 28, was asked about his debut with five-times European champions Barcelona: "It's different, the quality of football is different, a new position I knew would be difficult to cope with. "But I feel I get better in every game. Three goals are not bad, right?" "I can do better, but I just arrived, I work for the team, and if I score or pass (crucial balls) it will be better."
Griezmann has so far played in several positions, three times as the spearhead, and five on the left side of the offensive triangle. But the emergence of teenager Fati (16) and Perez (21) added more candidates to disturb Griezmann in the Barcelona attack. Barca will have to beware of the glowing Inter Milan with new coach Antonio Conte.
Barcelona hope the return of Argentine captain Lionel Messi and his French winger Osman Dembele to the ranks, as they gradually return to training after injury, and his new striker, Antoine Griezmann, has reached the level he was offering with his former team Atletico Madrid.
In the same group, Borussia Dortmund will play Slavia Prague, Czech Republic, after they finished the first round with a draw: Dortmund against Barcelona and Slavia Prague with Inter 1-1.
In Group H, Ajax Amsterdam, who reached the semi-finals last season, are hoping to continue their success despite the departure of many players when they visit Estadio de Mistila, the home of Valencia.
The two teams share the top of the group with three points, with a preference for the Dutch team on goal difference, after they won in the first match at Lille 3-0, while Valencia beat Chelsea in Stanford Bridge 1 - zero.
In the second game, the Blues travel with their new coach and former star Frank Lampard to Lille, hoping that the game will be a turning point to restore the level of the European champions 'Europa League'. Leipzig, Group G leaders with three points, travel to Zenit St Petersburg (one point), while Lyon host third (one point) Benfica (without points).
Liverpool to compensate against Salzburg
Defending champions Liverpool are set to play their first home game of the season at Salzburg. The English side hope to make up for their unexpected fall in the first round with a clean double at Napoli. Liverpool will return to their famous stadium for the first time on the continental level, since the famous «Remontada» achieved in the return of the semi-finals of last season, when they beat Barcelona 4 - zero, and made up for the loss of three clean in the first leg at Camp Nou.
The English Premier League leaders have won all seven matches and are five points ahead of Premier League champions City in the past two seasons. The Reds coach, Jurgen Klopp, is counting on the duo of Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Senegalese Sadio Mane and the defensive dam of Dutchman Virgil van Dijk on the other.
On the other hand, the visit of the Austrian team, who won their first match against Belgian Genk 6-2, will not be easy for Anfield, especially since there is no comparison between the opponent in the first round and the host in the second. Within the same group, Napoli are looking to build on what they have achieved in the first round, when they visit Genk.
- The French star failed to exploit Messi's absence,
He scored only three goals since the start of the season,
In all competitions with Barcelona.