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FC Barcelona legend Jordi Alba told the ‘El camino de Mario’ podcast that Antoine Griezmann ultimately failed at the club because he didn’t “adapt in the best way”.<\/p>\n
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FC Barcelona legend Jordi Alba<\/a> told the ‘El camino de Mario\u2019 podcast<\/a> that Antoine Griezmann ultimately failed at the club because he didn’t \u201cadapt in the best way\u201d.<\/p>\n Grizemann was the Julian Alvarez of his day, in being an Atletico Madrid star player courted by the Blaugrana. <\/p>\n After putting the move off for one season with his dramatic \u2018The Decision\u2019 documentary put together by Gerard Pique\u2019s production company, he then switched allegiances in a $138.5 million (\u20ac120 million) deal in 2019.<\/p>\n Just like Philippe Coutinho before him, though, Griezmann failed to gel with Lionel Messi<\/a> at the Spotify Camp Nou with his high-profile transfer viewed as a failure in retrospect.<\/p>\n He returned to the Metropolitano with his tail between his legs in 2021\/2022, before then making that move permanent the following campaign. <\/p>\n A reported $23 million (\u20ac20 million) deal of course left Bar\u00e7a seriously short-changed, for a player they only got two seasons out of.<\/p>\n Reflecting on Griezmann\u2019s tenure, Alba offered explanatations as to why the World Cup winner didn\u2019t take off in Blaugrana.<\/p>\n \u201cHe did things well, you know. He was a very dedicated guy. He gave us something extra, because having worked with [Diego] Simeone, he was always at his physical peak. Technically, he was very good,\u201d Alba said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut, like many players, they didn\u2019t adapt in the best way in the end . Then he returned to Atletico and became that Griezmann again, the one Bar\u00e7a had their eye on.\u201d<\/p>\n ForbesJulian Alvarez Agrees To Join Barcelona On Five-Year Contract, Report Argentine SourcesBy Tom Sanderson<\/a>Barcelona hasn\u2019t learned its lesson in dealing with Atletico Madrid<\/p>\n The Griezmann debacle isn\u2019t the only case of Atletico getting one over on Bar\u00e7a. In the past, the Catalans haved gifted strikers David Villa and Luis Suarez to the Roijblancos, which resulted in La Liga-winning campaigns in 2014 and 2021 respectively. <\/p>\n Half a decade on, Bar\u00e7a are currently trying to land Julian Alvarez after he reportedly agreed to join them on a five-year deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n A $116 million (\u20ac100 million) offer will need to be upped, and MARCA\u2019s transfer market expert Matteo Moretto believes<\/a> that the same $138 million (\u20ac120 million) sum paid for Griezmann could temp Atleti despite Real Madrid\u2019s rejected $175 million (\u20ac150 million) bid on Tuesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n