For the fourth game in a row, Antoine Griezmann got himself on the scoresheet as the hero to win the game for Atlético Madrid against Sevilla. With the ball slid through into the box deep into injury time and 3-3 on the scoreboard, he gambled to make the move and throw his foot at the ball and send it flying into the roof of the net. This was no easy finish by any means, but Griezmann made it look simple.
The Frenchman is no stranger to being a hero for Atlético Madrid. Applauded by Real Valladolid fans only a week ago, he ended the week with a brace against Sevilla when it mattered most. His winning goal was one of those decisive moments that many will remember come the end of the season.
Griezmann’s incredible finishing record
This season, Griezmann is scoring approximately 69% more than this expected goals. That’s an incredible rate. If we compare to previous seasons, 2023/24 was 28% and 2022/23 was 21%. And not just that, but he’s scoring with 29% of his shots, compared to 20% last season and 14% the year before.
Griezmann is operating as less of a poacher now than ever before, yet when he’s called upon he is showing that ‘fox in the box’ instinct, and he’s doing so with incredible efficiency. Taking a look at his shot map below, we see that fewer of Griezmann’s attempts are coming in and around the six-yard box, but he’s arriving later, from deeper, and cutting through clinically.
He’s scoring a goal every 172 minutes in La Liga, slightly slower than the goal every 165 minutes of last season, but he’s creating a chance every 43 minutes, compared to once every 62 minutes last season.
Griezmann’s all-round performances have changed and he’s now playing a more rounded role. The responsibility for goals is more divided, with Julián Álvarez in particular stepping up, and Griezmann’s position is changing. Fielded deeper, he is playing in between the lines much more, almost more like a playmaker, and is no longer the man leading the line.
-The other clear difference from his heat map is that the change doesn’t just come offensively. We’re seeing more of Griezmann’s efforts focused in the opposition half, with less intensity in his own half. Managing that expectation, which wore him down towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign, is crucial to getting every last ounce of energy out of an ageing prince who will turn 34 before the business end of the season.
Who knows how long Griezmann will remain in Madrid, but together with Diego Simeone they are finding the perfect recipe to keep him competing at the highest level for as long as possible. Playing like this, it could be the difference between ending his Atlético career with that long-awaited silverware or not.
High-stakes against Slovan Bratislava
Clinical finishing is exactly what Atlético Madrid will need this coming week. Slovan Bratislava pose a relatively simple challenge, on paper at least, with 18 goals conceded in five consecutive defeats in this group stage. Slovan pushed Milan in their last European game, the Italians only winning 3-2, but they have since conceded a 95th minute winner against title rivals MŠK Žilina on Saturday evening.
While it should be straightforward for the Colchoneros, who trounced seemingly superior opposition Sparta Prague 6-0 in their last Champions League outing, the pressure is on. A win here, on home turf, would all but secure a place in the next round of the competition. That would allow Atleti to focus on pushing for the top eight in the two remaining games against Bayer Leverkusen and RB Salzburg in January.
