Antoine Griezmann Eyes Champions League Glory Before Atletico Madrid Farewell as Arsenal Await in Semi-Final

Antoine Griezmann’s 11-year association with Atletico Madrid — spanning two separate stints — is drawing to a close, with the 35-year-old forward set to join Major League Soccer side Orlando City once the current campaign ends. Before that departure, however, he faces what could be the defining fixture of his final chapter: a Champions League semi-final first leg against Arsenal.

The scale of Griezmann’s contribution to Atletico is difficult to overstate. Across 494 appearances in red and white, he has scored 212 goals, making him the club’s all-time leading scorer. His trophy haul with the club includes the Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup — though, notably, not the Champions League, a competition in which Atletico have lost three finals: in 1974, 2014, and 2016.

“It would heal a very deep wound. The only way to beat it would be to win it this year,” Griezmann told Spanish media.

The relationship between manager and player was laid bare in striking fashion ahead of Atletico’s quarter-final against Barcelona, when coach Diego Simeone used his pre-match press conference not to discuss tactics, but to deliver an unsolicited public tribute to his forward. “I want to thank you for your hard work and your humility,” Simeone said, with Griezmann visibly caught off guard beside him. “You are an admirable person in a society where young people need role models like you. Thank you for everything you have given us, everything you continue to give, and everything you still will.”

According to reports, Orlando City had originally hoped Griezmann would travel to the United States earlier, but the France international requested to remain in Madrid until the season’s conclusion to allow for a proper farewell — a detail that speaks to the depth of his attachment to the club.

Greizmann’s path to becoming an Atletico icon was far from straightforward, and it might never have happened at all. In his autobiography, the 2018 World Cup winner — who began his club career at Real Sociedad in 2009 — revealed he came close to joining Arsenal while still in San Sebastián in 2013, during Arsène Wenger’s tenure. “I waited, I waited, and I kept waiting,” he wrote. “Finally, a few hours before the window closed, they told us Arsenal would not make a move. I don’t like being told something and for it not to happen. So when Eric [Griezmann’s former agent] told me later that the London club were interested again, I told him: ‘Forget it, after the blow they gave us.'” A year later, he signed for Atletico for a fee believed to be worth 30 million euros.

His career did eventually take a detour via Barcelona, where he moved in 2019, before returning to Atletico on loan in 2021 and making that arrangement permanent a year later. That return, following what had been an unpopular exit, could have soured his standing with supporters — yet Griezmann’s willingness to acknowledge and apologise for the manner of his departure served to reinforce, rather than damage, his bond with the fanbase.

BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague argues that Griezmann’s legacy at the club is rooted in something more significant than silverware. “He is regarded as their greatest player, not just a goalscorer, but more importantly as the most complete expression of what the club stands for,” Balague wrote. “He embodies the perfect Simeone player — total commitment, relentless work-rate, and the willingness to put his talent at the service of the team.”

That connection was on vivid display after Atletico sealed their place in the last four by defeating Barcelona. As players filed down the tunnel, Griezmann reversed course, re-emerging to a roar from the Metropolitano crowd. He turned to face the stands, applauding supporters as his name echoed around the stadium, before his team-mates returned to join him in celebrations on the pitch.

The semi-final against Arsenal presents Griezmann with a rare opportunity: to conclude his time at the club with the one trophy that has remained out of reach. Arsenal, for their part, are also yet to win the Champions League. Atletico’s Copa del Rey campaign has already ended in disappointment this season, following a penalty shootout defeat to Real Sociedad earlier this month, meaning Europe represents the last realistic route to a significant piece of silverware before Griezmann’s departure.

Whether that journey ends in the semi-finals or extends to the final in Budapest remains to be seen.