Another dye for Griezmann: second expected transfer, some accounts from Atlético under the magnifying glass and the edge of 40 million

• The clause The great scam of Atlético, Gil Marín and Simeone

• Atlético The strange paralysis: 10 years in a row in the Champions League, but nothing to sign if there are no sales

"I've cut my hair. I've bought another dye."

Last week,

(31 years old) announced on his social networks another one of those aesthetic turns, of those forceful changes of look, so usual in him.

He did it from his retreat on the beach, where he recharges his batteries in the company of his family.

Mind you, he wasn't too worried about his future.

The logical thing, the expected thing, is that he completed that second year of assignment at Atlético, drawn as optional in the agreement signed last season with Barcelona, ​​at the closing of the transfer market.

Within a year, if he plays 45 minutes in half the games, Atlético will have to pay 40 million to the Barça team.

That will be another story.

This same Tuesday, with Atlético's accounts turned into a matter of (almost national) debate, with

talking about the

to balance, the rojiblanco team asked Barça to activate that second loan course.

The necessary procedure for Antoine to try to achieve that definitive redemption before the fans that he did not reach last season.

With a tweet of three emoticons (a red circle, ATM and another white circle, in that order) he confirmed on Wednesday afternoon what they had already advanced from the Metropolitan.

The opposite, despite the labyrinth of accounts that the end of the year has turned into, despite his salary, it would have been quite a surprise.

Griezmann made an examination of conscience out loud, days before the end of the League.

On the lawn of the Martínez Valero de Elche, where he dusted off the spyglass in the play that opened the scoring, where he gave an assist to

to lower the blind to the Champions League, he humbly accepted his sins and made it clear that his future was in Madrid , along with the coach who has understood him best and a captain,

, with whom he has a great friendship.

He did not understand otherwise.

"I am to blame for those bad moments of the team and the results. We have to improve for next year and enjoy tonight, that we enter the Champions League again," he firmly acknowledged.

"I hope to be an important and decisive player that I always have been. It is not normal to spend so many games without scoring," he added to his self-criticism.

His last goal dates back to January 6, in a Cup match against Majadahonda.

That night he relapsed from his injury and left in tears.

He finished the course with eight goals and seven assists, his lowest record since 2012, when he was still playing for Real Sociedad.

Unmarked since January

Antoine talked about being important and, obviously, in his head (and everyone's) he was going to be important again at Atlético.

As it was in

, heading to the knockout stages of the Champions League;

against

, at the Metropolitano, before his expulsion;

at

, heading to the quarter-finals;

or that night in Elche where he was honest.

Too little for what was expected of him.

Antoine himself started the digestion since he went on vacation, after four Nations League games with his team.

Neither France (two draws and two defeats) nor he (he did not score) shone.

One of the first to celebrate its (official) continuity was

.

Because a great connection has been forged between the two.

Joao, destined to be his heir, and owner of that number '7' that Griezmann became a legend during his first stage (133 goals), when he whispered to the Ballon d'Or (2018), has ended up finding in the Frenchman a mirror and a support point.

Both ended up exchanging shirts at Old Trafford.

And that in September the signing did not sit well.

His salary, one of the highest in the squad, is another of those high figures that squeeze Atlético's now questioned wage bill.

However, it has not been an obstacle to request the execution of that second year of assignment.

Simeone left for the Maldives convinced that it would be so, beyond those club accounts to close the year.

Also convinced that the man who has contributed the most goals to his cause will once again be important.

It will be, in any case, seen his performance of the previous course, a matter of faith.

The mystery will be solved on the lawn.

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