Antoine Griezmann could stay without being a starter in the Classical. The Frenchman, who has starred in an ill-fated start to the season, did not play for a minute in Barcelona's debut game in the Champions League against Ferencvaros. Koeman lined up Trincao from the start, who played a great game and then Pedri and Dembélé came out, culminating their performance with a goal each.
The question that hangs in the air is if the bench by the world champion was to give him rest and allow him to focus for the Classic or a wake-up call? Until Saturday at four in the afternoon the mystery will not be solved, but what no one can deny is that Griezmann is under the maximum pressure he has experienced, not since he signed for Barça, but in one of the most difficult situations complicated aspects of his career.
The Frenchman has only scored two goals in the last 22 games who has played with Barcelona. This season, He has only finished off three times on goal. His records are fixed with the French team, where he scored two goals in three games last week, but at Barça his situation is uncomfortable.
More when at the Camp Nou the aroma of youth and novelty has been installed. Criticisms of the Frenchman contrast with praise for Trincao, which is a breath of fresh air for the fans of a team that wants to see faces that were not in the last European disasters of Barcelona.
Even Dembélé, who seemed like a lost cause, The second time he took advantage of the opportunity offered by Koeman, who at first was not going to count on him, but when his transfer to Manchester United was frustrated, he has opted for pragmatism and wants to recover him for the cause. Against the Hungarians he played 30 minutes in which he gave Pedri a goal assist after a great individual play and scored the goal that closed the win.
The threats to Griezmann are not limited to the wing players. In the event that Koeman wanted to apply some variation of his drawing to the whites, emerge the figure of Pedri, one of the sensations of the Blaugrana season. Against Ferencvaros he made his debut in the Champions League scoring.
Koeman has always defended that his teams are based on meritocracy And if he applies this criterion, Griezmann has reasons to feel threatened in the face of the game against Real Madrid.
The Frenchman, after scoring with France against Croatia, declared that Deschamps, French coach, “if he knows where to put me.” The world champion has always performed more as a second striker or midfielder while he has not hidden his dislike for playing on the wing, which is where Koeman put him until the Getafe game.
At the Coliseum, Koeman lined him up in his favorite position and the result was just as disappointing. He missed a sung goal and the next game he stayed on the bench. Maybe to motivate him against Madrid or things may be going wrong.