Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone welcomed Antoine Griezmann‘s confirmation that he’ll stay at the club until the end of the season, while adding that he hopes Griezmann’s strike partner Julián Álvarez “can stay for many years” after the Argentina World Cup winner raised doubts about his own future.
Álvarez scored a brace, while Griezmann also found the net, in Atlético’s 5-2 Champions League last 16 first leg win over Tottenham at the Metropolitano on Tuesday.
ESPN reported last week that Griezmann had put a potential move to Orlando City on hold, having previously considered a switch to MLS this month, before the transfer window closes on March 26.
“I’m happy here, I’m enjoying myself a lot,” Griezmann told Movistar on Tuesday. “What I do on the pitch speaks for itself. We’ll see, but my idea is to keep going until the end.
“[Playing the Copa del Rey final next month] is my dream, my objective, and let’s hope we achieve something great.”
Atlético are set to face Real Sociedad in the cup final on April 18, giving Griezmann the chance to lift a trophy he’s never won with the club.
“I’m very happy with Antoine’s explanation,” Simeone responded, when Griezmann’s comments were put to him in the coach’s postmatch news conference. “He knows his importance in Atlético Madrid history. Let’s hope we can help him to keep helping us.”
Meanwhile, star forward Álvarez — who has scored 16 goals in all competitions this season — appeared to suggest he might not continue at Atlético, when asked after the win over Tottenham if he’d be at the club next season.
“I don’t know, I might be, or I might not,” Álvarez told reporters. “I’m happy. I’m thinking about the day to day.”
“He looks happy to me,” Simeone said. “He’s scoring goals, if you look at the teams he’s been at [River Plate and Manchester City], Atletico is the team where he’s scored the most goals. He looks committed, positive. There isn’t much difference between this season and last season in terms of the goals he’s scored.
“Let’s hope he can stay for many years at Atlético Madrid, and we can keep building a team so that important players want to stay.”
Simeone also praised USMNT midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who completed 90 minutes against Spurs, after struggling with injuries earlier in the season. U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino was in the stands for the game to monitor Cardoso’s progress.
“He’s growing,” Simeone said. “He’s worked a lot personally, to grow himself, and then to give the team what he has.
“He’s getting the consistency he needed, based on what he’s doing for the team.”
Atlético will travel to north London to visit Tottenham for the second leg on March 18.
