Griezmann gives victory to Atlético, who have not won at San Mamés since 2017

Ernesto Valverde was reunited with Atlético.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
15 October 2022 Saturday 16:33
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Griezmann gives victory to Atlético, who have not won at San Mamés since 2017

Ernesto Valverde was reunited with Atlético. In January 2020 it was a defeat against the colchoneros in the Spanish Super Cup that precipitated his dismissal as coach at Barcelona. Two years and nine months later, the Txingurri could not collect his particular revenge. On the contrary, Simeone's men beat him again and snatched third place in the standings.

Griezmann, once again a starter once Atlético has already bought him definitively, insisted on remembering the Viandar de la Vera coach because he insisted so much on his signing for Barça. Valverde was one of the great supporters of the striker's arrival at the Camp Nou. Two summers in a row he tried signing him, until he achieved it in 2019. After that he was able to enjoy it for just half a year. The Frenchman was the architect of the visiting victory.

Five years ago Atlético had not won at San Mamés. That streak was also ended by Griezmann with his goal as soon as the second half started. Morata made a move in the area after winning the position from Iñigo Martínez and put the death pass for the arrival of his teammate. With great quality and calm, Griezmann touched the ball softly, low and stuck to the post to beat Unai Simón.

The Frenchman was always good at Athletic, since his days at Real Sociedad. In fact, it is the team he has scored the most goals against in his career, with 13, four of them with Barça.

In nine games, Griezmann has already scored the same goals as in the entire last league. In 26 games he scored three goals and now he has equaled that figure. In addition, the world champion appears since his three goals in this start of the championship have been with Atlético as a visitor: in Getafe, in Mestalla and San Mamés.

The Frenchman was the protagonist but it could well have been Morata. The Spanish international scored in the first half by taking advantage of a stumble by Yeray when both were chasing a long ball. Morata took it over, dribbled past Unai Simón and scored on an empty goal. However, at the request of the VAR, the referee decided to annul the goal on the grounds that the striker had missed the center-back in the race, which unbalanced him.

Already at 0-1, Atlético endured the result with Grbic entering the goal to replace Oblak, who injured his right shoulder. In the final stretch, the VAR was once again decisive by rectifying a penalty that Figueroa Vázquez had called for some alleged hands of Reinildo. In the images it was found that the defender took the shot with his face.