ATLETICO MADRID REPORTED Barcelona to football’s governing body Fifa over illegal contact made to star forward Antoine Griezmann, Atletico club sources confirmed on Tuesday.
“The complaint has been presented for repeated contact between Barcelona, the player and his team,” an Atletico source told AFP.
Griezmann renewed his contract until 2022 in June and Atletico consider contact made by Barcelona not only breaks Fifa’s rules, but could also affect the integrity of La Liga.
Barcelona lead the league with Atletico their closest challengers six points behind in second.
“He is a player under a long contract and this can’t happen. Moreover, the club considers that it could affect the competition where Barca are currently top and Atletico second,” added the Atletico source.
Barca were slapped with a one-year transfer ban for the illegal recruitment of foreign minors by Fifa that was served in 2015.
Should the Catalan giants be found guilty, they could be handed another ban on registering new players.
“We can confirm that we have received a complaint from Atletico de Madrid concerning the said matter,” a Fifa spokesperson told AFP.
Barcelona-based sports daily Mundo Deportivo reported on Sunday that Barca’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu had recently met with Griezmann’s family.
The Catalan giants are expected to be willing to pay the French international’s €100 million buyout clause at the end of the season to avoid negotiating with Atletico.
Barca’s director of institutional relations Guillermo Amor turned down the opportunity to deny a meeting had taken place later on Sunday after Barca’s 4-0 thrashing of Deportivo la Coruna.
“If the paper says it then it is possible it is like that,” Amor told Movistar TV. “There could have been a coming together.”
Griezmann, 26, agreed to sign a new contract with Atletico in June after the club had an appeal against a transfer ban rejected.
Top scorer at Euro 2016, Griezmann said it would have been “dirty” to walk out on the club when they couldn’t replace him until January.
However, Atletico coach Diego Simeone accepted last week that Griezmann’s departure at some point in the future is inevitable.
“Of course Griezmann will be able to leave at some point, as Diego Costa, Diego Ribas and Arda Turan have gone,” Simeone told French sports daily L’Equipe.
“If a player comes to me and says, ‘coach, I have a chance of a lifetime and want to leave’, and if he’s left everything on the pitch for me like Griezmann, I’ll say, ‘no problem’.”
Griezmann has scored 90 goals in 179 games for Atletico since joining from Real Sociedad in 2014 and led Los Rojiblancos to the 2016 Champions League final, scoring twice to eliminated Barca in the quarter-finals.
However, he was also caught up in a Twitter storm on Sunday after posting a picture of himself blacked up and mimicking a Harlem Globetrotter basketball player from the 1980s.
“I recognise that it was clumsy of me. If I have offended people, I apologise,” he wrote shortly after and deleted the photo after receiving a wave of criticism.
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Jez we’re like a poor man’s Toulon at this stage with all the foreigners! Would prefer to see some of our young academy players given a chance.
Neither name jumps off the page at you..
Jesus though, would really hurt if words did that.
Two short term signings 1 of which is an amatuer what would be wrong with giving academy players a chance. Once again no plan from Foley. His term in charge will be another 2 years wasted
Two excellent signings. Sean Doyle isn’t an amateur. He has been David Pocock’s understudy with the Brumbies, not to mention his 2 seasons with Ulster who didn’t want to lose him.
Agree. Some good articles online about how highly Ulster rated him
When has going into the ERCC with inexperienced academy player’s been a recipe for success?
Ah stop the negativity. Yes I agree that we didn’t need a fullback with Earls, Zebo and Conway looking a quality back three but getting an openside was crucial. Who else would we play seven? There currently isn’t a fit open side in the entire squad.
It’s a long season and we have alot of long term injuries. Munster are giving their Academy Player (David Johnston and Stephen Fitzgerald) game time this year in the pro12 and are playing very well. These experienced foreign players coming in short term, will be a bonus to the development of the young players learning their trade. On the team sheet Leinster won Heineken Cup: 2009 – 4 foreign players plus foreign coach 2011 – 5 foreign players plus foreign coach 2012 – same as 2011. Munster 2006 – 3 foreign players plus Irish coach 2008 – 2 foreign players plus Irish coach.
Compliments on the research. Great post
so hard to know if people are being sarcastic or not through comments… :(
I’d imagine they might end up extending Sean Doyle’s deal. He’s a better openside than anyone injured or fit currently on their books
plus jack o’ donoghue another Academy Player who has been a very promising player and future Munster captain.
Good news for our southern brothets in arms. Still won’t be good enough to beat a resurgent Leinster unfortunately. But there will be competition.
I know Leinster in group of death but I have gone for them at 18/1…
When is this resurgence due?
Was good enough twice last season
Not looking to the future, DF?
Munster Saracens franchise.To la brave and faithful….
Nice bit of French thrown in there aswell
That’s the joke Ronan.
Agh I see…. because of all the French players Munster have just signed…
Spanish word but sure you knew that…
Jonathan, I’m not quite sure. I know Sean Doyle isn’t a project player as he’s already Irish Qualified. Move fringe players or increase competition ( Madigan to Munster
* to other provinces. Leinster have quality backrow cover in their squad that munster would take ( Dominic Ryan Josh Van Der Flies). Ulster have a rake of centres that they could share
Question; is the ruling on NIQ players not enforced any more or was it never official?
Botha (until Christmas at least), Sagario, Chisholm, Saili, Amorisino are 5 NIQ. Stander turns IQ on Saturday, and Sean Doyle, Van Der Heever & Bleyendaal are all project players.
I thought the ruling was 4 NIQ players (being reduced to 3) and 1 designated project player?
Sagario, botha Amorisino Doyle all gone early next year. Stander irished on Saturday. Doyle is Irish qualified.Sagario Doyle and Amorisino are only short term cover for long term injuries to Archer, TOD Pom and Felix