According to Spanish publication Marca via El Desmarque, Martin Lasarte – the manager that gave Antoine Griezmann his debut at Real Sociedad – believes that the forward is a ‘scapegoat’ at Barcelona.
Lasarte, who managed Sociedad between 2009 and 2011, even claimed that the Frenchman wasn’t ‘comfortable’ at Barcelona and that he thinks the striker is ‘sad’.
Lasarte clearly seems to believe that some of the criticism of his former player is unwarranted, Griezmann has struggled to prove his marquee price-tag with the Catalan outfit so far.
As per BBC Sport, Barcelona paid the forward’s €120m release clause in order to sign him from Atletico Madrid last summer.
Here’s what Lasarte had to say on the World Cup winner:
“His future there is in question because Barcelona themselves are in a difficult period, we have to look for some scapegoats. We have to look for someone responsible.”
“He’s the last one to arrive, a lot of money was paid for him. It seems to me that they’ve loaded a very heavy burden on him.”
Lasarte also added that there’s too much focus on the Frenchman:
“Anybody other than [Lionel] Messi is in question,”
“I see him sad, subdued; he’s not comfortable.”
The Uruguayan even claimed that Griezmann may have to leave soon get his career back on track:
“He’ll have to wait a little longer to adjust or suddenly it’s going to be time to move on and look for an option neither better nor worse, just different to develop everything you know how to do.”
Griezmann has managed to score 14 goals and provide four assists in 37 appearances this season, the ace has primarily featured on the left-wing but has also been used frequently in his natural centre-forward role.
Griezmann was perhaps about to turn a corner before major football leagues were halted due to the Coronavirus, with the forward bagging a crucial equaliser for Barcelona in their Champions League tie against Napoli.
Do you think Lasarte’s claims are spot on about the star being treated as a ‘scapegoat’?