The move of Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona was a year in the making

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TThe moment of Antoine Griezmann's departure to Barcelona was broadcast live on television, 393 days after the announcement by the French of his decision to refuse Barcelona and to stay at Atlético Madrid in a television documentary. On Friday, at 1 pm, his legal representative arrived at the headquarters of La Liga, taking a suitcase of money into the building, where he deposited the € 120 million buyout clause that releases the striker of his contract, five years later. His arrival. Barcelona confirmed the transfer two hours later.

The new Griezmann agreement will last five years and includes a buyback clause – a legal stipulation in Spain – worth 800 million euros. Despite all the plot twists, the crosswords and the accusations, this signature was put in place from the beginning. The future of Sevian Karian, Griezmann's lawyer, had arrived at the headquarters of La Liga. Even if Atlético claimed that an amount of 120 million euros was not enough, the actual amount would be 200 million euros.

The clause fell to 120 million euros at the beginning of this month, but Barcelona had hoped to reach a negotiated settlement rather than having to pay at a single stroke in advance. Atlético refused, publicly accusing Barcelona and the Frenchman of a lack of respect in a statement that also asked him to show up for training last Sunday. It was despite Atlético's request that he recorded a video announcing his intention to leave on May 14, although Griezmann did not take his 30 days of statutory holidays and despite the use of this money to sign João Felix for 126 million euros, giving him the jersey No. 7 Griezmann.

Griezmann will now show up at the Monday training in Barcelona. Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi will not be present, but his ability to adapt will be decisive for his success at Camp Nou.

It is unclear where he is – his natural playing position is identical to that of Messi – and it has been suggested that these two prefer to see Neymar return from Paris Saint-Germain.

There was a feeling of uneasiness in Barcelona, going back to a player who had so publicly rejected them 13 months ago. After the ignominious defeat of the Champions League at Anfield, most of their fans will celebrate this signing. That's what they've been chasing for a while.

Barcelona first contacted Griezmann last year, knowing that its buyout clause would temporarily drop to 100 million euros. They were willing to pay this sum, unilaterally releasing it from his contract, and reached an agreement on their personal conditions. This left Griezmann's future in his hands and his deliberations were at the center of a documentary entitled Decision Where – with his soft focus and elegant photos – he can be seen embarrassing to decide what to take: to stay or leave?

For more than 30 minutes, the audience glimpses at Griezmann, looking into the future, pensive at dinner, thoughtful playing basketball, pensive on a plane and pensive about a horse.

"I do not know what to do," he says often, but at the end of the film, aired last Sunday, he finally announces his decision to stay at Atlético. He called Barcelona to apologize: their board of directors did not know that the documentary was in progress, although the production company belongs in part to Gerard Piqué, their half-center.

Griezmann signed an improved contract with Atlético, worth € 20 million after tax, but it was far from being final: the new contract included a buyback clause of € 200 million, but it would fall again on July 1 – explicitly allowing an exit, if the player wants one, and inviting the contenders to queue once again. Once they received the signal, they did it.

Griezmann may not have regretted being renewed and staying for another season, but he soon decided that he wanted to leave and the contract was resumed, 12 months later and for 20 million more euros. Atletico had spent the same amount last season.

In the end, his season was disappointing, which played an important role in his departure. Atletico had strengthened the team in order to convince him to stay and was again in front of Real Madrid in La Liga, but that was not enough.

Inheritance occupies an important place in the documentary. Griezmann was well aware that Atlético's history would belong to him, while success would be shared elsewhere. But it requires success in the first place and it did not happen. He admitted that living in the shadow of Messi had played a role in choosing to stay at that time, but he still thought about it. There is a parallel between the departure of Neymar and the PSG: the Brazilian realized that playing with Messi could make more light than shadow.

The season was defined above all by the Champions League: the main object of the documentary, the obsession of Atlético and the competition whose final would be held at their Wanda Metropolitano. It became a target and, by extension, a kind of decisive turning point – it's almost as if the Frenchman was convinced, as a sort of criminal conspiracy, to do one last job, their biggest one to date.

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It did not work out and there is no chance that, according to Atlético's allegations – and his new club does not recognize it – Griezmann had agreed to join Barça in the days that have followed its defeat against Juventus in the last 16 games.

There was still a long way to go and maybe there were future disputes even now, but the essential was done. On May 14, Griezmann recorded on a phone a video stating that he was leaving, but he did not specify where he was going. He could not and he had not told them either, although Atletico claimed that they knew.

All that remained was to wait until the value of the buy-back clause diminished, as it had been conceived. Thirteen days later, the cameras surprised a man who was walking in a building with 120 million euros.

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