From the penalty spot last Saturday, Antoine Griezmann scored his 130th goal in La Liga under the orders of Diego Simeone. The 2018 world champion is closing in on Lionel Messi's record.
This is the little, somewhat anecdotal statistic given by DAZN Spain after Atlético de Madrid's 2-1 victory against Alavés, last Saturday for the 14th day of La Liga. After the opening score of the visitors from Riyadh Air Metropolitano, the Colchoneros reversed the situation in the last quarter of an hour thanks to a penalty converted by Antoine Griezmann (76th) and a winning goal from Alexander Sorloth (86th).
“Grizi” has now reached 130 goals in La Liga under Diego Simeone, in nine seasons at Atlético. The “Cholo” was already stationed at Atléti when the native of Mâcon arrived in 2014. The retired French international is now the second player who has scored the most goals with the same coach, overtaking Telmo Zarra, the goalscorer of the 1940s and 1950s for Athletic Bilbao, scored 129 times under Juan Urquizu, coach of the Leones from 1940 to 1947.
Messi in Griezmann's sights
Above all, Griezmann gets closer to Lionel Messi, who has the record of 137 goals scored in spanish championship under the orders of one and the same coach, in this case Pep Guardiola. The disciple of Johan Cruyff masterfully led the Blaugranas from 2008 to 2012 and, by replacing Messi in false 9, allowed “La Pulga” to explode the counters, with mind-blowing totals of 23, 34, 31 and 50 goals scored during these four crazy seasons for the residents of Camp Nou.
Griezmann can match Messi, his former Catalonia teammate, in scoring seven goals in the rest of La Liga this season. Then it might be too late. Despite a contract until 2026 with Atlético, the 2018 world champion, 33, is reportedly thinking of leaving the Spanish capital at the end of the season to live his American dream, preferably by joining his friends Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud at Los Angeles FC.
