Antoine Griezmann was not welcomed back to Atletico Madrid by supporters on Wednesday night, as they booed the forward as he came off the bench against Porto in the Champions League.
Griezmann’s name was jeered as he came on as a second-half substitute, as well as when his name and number were read out before the tie.
The crowd at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium were not afraid to let the forward know that they were unhappy at how he left the club in 2019 to join Barcelona.
The 30-year-old left for the Catalan giants when his release clause of €120million was triggered, but it has emerged that Griezmann had agreed terms with Barca two months before the 2018/19 season ended.
The Frenchman re-signed for Atletico on loan from Barcelona this summer, with Atletico also having an option to purchase him outright next year.
But he was not given the warmest of welcomes on Wednesday night in the Spanish capital.
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Griezmann netted 133 goals for Diego Simeone’s side during his first Atleti spell, before scoring 35 times across two seasons at the Camp Nou.
But Barca have now let him leave, with the club in severe financial trouble.
The booing clearly didn’t help Griezmann or Atletico, who failed to find a winner against Porto and ended up drawing the game 0-0.
He did appear to have a chance to bang in a stoppage-time winner, before former Newcastle defender Chancel Mbemba hauled him down as he was through in on goal, earning the Porto man a red card.
On the loud and clear boos from Atleti fans towards the returning star, manager Simeone said: “Everyone is making a big deal out of this situation.
“Hopefully he will keep improving so he can answer those who are criticising him now. He has a challenge ahead of him because of what happened in the past.”
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s match, Eduardo Fernandez, the president of fan group Atletico de Madrid International Penas Union, told L’Equipe: “A part of the public will whistle and insult him, that’s for sure. When his name is announced and as soon as he touches the ball.
“There is a disenchantment. Before, he was our idol. Now, he’s just a player like any other.
“He doesn’t represent much anymore. His image has seriously deteriorated.
“We’re all still hurt by what he did. Time is going to see our pain heal. He will have to regain our trust and our love.
“It is up to him to be forgiven and to redeem himself. How? Or what? By sweating the jersey and scoring.
“When he sets important goals, little by little things will get back to normal. Because he can once again become the great player he was, I am convinced.”
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