MY ACCOUNT
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has praised the impact of Antoine Griezmann amid transfer speculation after netting the winner in Monday’s 1-0 victory at Valencia.
Griezmann once again came off the bench just past the hour mark, making the decisive impact with a deflected 66th-minute strike after receiving a pass from fellow substitute Thomas Lemar.
The Frenchman is on a two-year loan at Atletico from Barcelona, and Los Rojiblancos have been using him for under 30 minutes in each match to avoid triggering a purchase clause in his contract.
“As long as Griezmann manages to respond as he does, having him on the field is very important and I understand that you have to put him on when it suits the team best,” Simeone told reporters.
“The entry of Lemar and Griezmann gave us more peace of mind to impose the team’s game.”
Yannick Carrasco, who was a half-time substitute, has also been linked with a move away from Atleti, with Tottenham reportedly interested.
“You can’t imagine it, it’s normal for all coaches except for some,” Simeone said about the Carrasco speculation.
“Something can always happen that is important for the clubs, we are not the owners but coaches.”
There were two crucial VAR interventions in the win over Valencia, with Yunus Musah’s thunderbolt ruled out after a foul in the lead-up on Joao Felix was spotted.
Valencia defender Thierry Correira was also sent off in the 42nd minute for a last-man foul, but that was downgraded to a yellow card after a VAR review.
“When the play started, it was clearly a foul,” Simeone said about Musah’s disallowed goal.
“The referee didn’t see it, the goal came and then with the VAR he did see it.
“On the second play I didn’t go for a goal, they told him no and I missed it. It’s always fair what happens then there is no going back.”
