One of the most enthralling transfer sagas in the history of football reached its conclusion — Antoine Griezmann is finally a Barcelona player. The 28-year-old penned a five-year contract at Camp Nou after completing his €120 million move – a deal which includes a whopping £800 million release clause for the World Cup winner.
Now, since the move has finally taken place especially after the famous ‘La Decision’ from last summer, Cules will breathe a sigh of relief.
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde will have to try to incorporate the Frenchman in an already packed Blaugrana attack, and at the same time bring out the best in him.
Let’s look at where the new Blaugrana signing can have the most impact on the pitch.
Formation (4-3-3, false 9)
Griezmann primarily features as a centre-forward and possesses the ability to move in at left-wing or a second striker role under the manager’s tactics.
The big concern which could make Valverde lose some of his hair is that the best player in the team, Lionel Messi, already occupies the number 10 role where the Frenchman usually thrives.
Another key point to note is that the 28-year-old has done well when he plays off a strong forward who can hold off the defenders and provide him with the necessary space in and around the penalty area.
Griezmann’s partnership with the likes of Diego Costa at Atletico Madrid and Olivier Giroud in the national team adds more weight to the aforementioned system he prefers.
At Barcelona, he can enjoy a similar luxury playing alongside Luis Suarez, however, that will create an imbalance seeing Messi and Suarez do not contribute much in the defensive phase of the game, which could leave them with more to do when they don’t have the ball.
To negate this, Valverde will have to start with the trio of Ousmane Dembele, Messi, and Griezmann upfront.
This specific setup will make sure Dembele gets to play in his favoured right-wing position with Messi controlling things in a central role.
Griezmann will cover the half-spaces and use his flexibility to move across all three positions, thanks to his dynamic nature on the pitch.
Apart from his work-rate and dynamism, the Frenchman’s supreme ability to link up with the teammates is another major boost for the Blaugrana, seeing Jordi Alba likes to charge on the left flank and influence the play in the final third.
With Messi occupying the defenders, the Griezmann could enjoy the space up front and seeing quality players in Alba and Frenkie de Jong around him, it will be a nightmare for the opposition to deal with this Barcelona side.
