$142M Forward Must Leave Barcelona To Revive Career, Says Former World Cup Winner

Former French defender Bixente Lizarazu said Antoine Griezmann must leave FC Barcelona to bring his career back on track.

Griezmann, who netted 133 goals in 257 appearances for Atletico Madrid, has failed to replicate the success since his $142 million arrivals in Barcelona. The 29-year-old forward has managed to score only 15 goals in 48 outings last season and his struggles have continued at the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign.

“He no longer knows how to play football with the Barca jersey. He no longer finds his place. When you lose your football at this point, it is better to go. It's been eighteen months, so it's impacting his head, and the situation is really critical for him,” Lizarazu, who won the 1988 FIFA World Cup with France, was quoted by Goal, as saying.

Griezmann lost his place in Bara boss Ronald Koeman’s starting XI after failing to score in four consecutive La Liga starts. Lionel Messi and Ansu Fati led Barcelona’s attack in their 5-1 victory over Ferencvaros in their Champions League opening fixture. He finished the game at Camp Nou as an unused substitute and not surprisingly found himself on the bench once again when the Catalans hosted Real Madrid Saturday in the season’s first El Clasico.

Griezmann came off the bench to replace Fati just eight minutes before full time, but could not make any impact as Barcelona ended up suffering a 3-1 loss only to see Real Madrid go two points clear at the top of the Liga table.

With Philipe Coutinho also injured ahead of Barcelona’s upcoming Champions League clash against Juventus, Griezmann will hope to push his way back into Koeman’s XI for the clash. Three days after Barcelona’s Turin trip, the Catalans will take on Alaves in an away La Liga fixture.

Koeman’s Barca are currently placed 12th in the 2020-21 La Liga table, having bagged two wins, two losses, and a draw. Barcelona’s injury-list has continued to increase with Coutinho being the latest entrant. The side has also been without their first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is yet to play this season.