Craig Burley feels Antoine Griezmann's comments are a bit arrogant when he said he's at the same level as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sergio Ramos makes fun of Antoine Griezmann's claims that he 'eats at the same table as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.'
Last week Antoine Griezmann caused quite a stir when, in an interview, he claimed he was now "sitting at the same table as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi."
Frankly, it could not have been worse timed, with Atletico in something of a rut, having just scraped a last minute 1-1 draw at home to Eibar after a chastening away to Celta Vigo before the international break. Griezmann had just one La Liga goal to his name and was not exactly setting the world on fire, either. Not to mention FIFA's "The Best" awards were about to take place and the Frenchman was absent from the top three shortlist -- headed up by Ronaldo.
There is no doubting that over the past couple of years Griezmann has shot to global superstardom. His own toe-curling "La Decision" documentary when he announced he would be staying at Atleti was evidence of that, while nobody can doubt the starring roles he has played in France's last two major tournaments, culminating in this summer's World Cup success.
But to liken himself to Messi and Ronaldo? Two players widely acknowledged to be the best to have ever played the game. That is not the kind of thing that Los Rojiblancos fans wanted to be reading after an underwhelming start to a season in which big things were expected of Diego Simeone's new-look side.
Like La Decision, it was perhaps an example of those around the player not giving him the best advice, or perhaps suggesting better timing for the interview.
They also drew a stinging rebuke from Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos, who said "Ignorance can be brash. When I hear this guy speak, it reminds me of players such as [Francesco] Totti, Raul, [Gianluigi] Buffon, [Iker] Casillas, [Paolo] Maldini, Xavi or [Andres] Iniesta, players who have won many awards and titles but never a Ballon d'Or."
While the most-red carded player in La Liga history is not exactly the most moral of arbiters around, given some of his past actions and comments, his point was valid.
However, a week or so can be a long time in football, and since making those comments fortunes have indeed picked up both for Griezmann and Atletico Madrid.
A commanding Champions League victory over Monaco, in which Griezmann teed up the opener and was the best player on the pitch, was backed up by another standout display away at Getafe, where he played a major part in Thomas Lemar's goals.
Antoine Griezmann counts himself among the top players in the sport, Saturday vs. Real Madrid he has a chance to prove it.
He returned to the scoresheet against Huesca on Tuesday night and -- with results going their way -- Los Colchoneros remarkably find themselves only two points off top spot despite their initial teething problems.
This weekend will see Griezmann meet Ramos in the season's first Derbi Madrileno as Atleti visit a Real Madrid side coming off of a 3-0 thrashing by Sevilla in midweek.
After appearing way off the pace and a little bit directionless not so long ago, Los Rojiblancos can actually leapfrog their great city rivals with a win.
You can bet that Griezmann will be that little extra motivated following the Real skipper's public dressing down and will be out to prove a point in that sense. There is also the small matter of fact that this is a fixture that Ronaldo used to love playing -- and scoring -- in.
After comprehensively beating the Bernabeu outfit in the European Super Cup in August, Atleti will fancy their chances again this weekend in a fixture that has seen both club and No. 7s alike excel in recent seasons.
Simeone has not lost in his last five La Liga visits to the Bernabeu -- winning three and drawing two -- and is 90 minutes away from equalling the longest ever run of away sides securing at least a point across the Spanish capital.
To put that into context, the current record was set between 1942 and 1948 by Valencia. This, the same Atleti that Madrid fans once taunted by holding up a banner that said "Wanted: a real rival for a proper derby" when they went 14 years without a win in the fixture. How times have changed.
Griezmann himself has good memories too, scoring in his last three league appearances at the Bernabeu and first really announcing himself as an Atletico player back in 2015 when they hammered Carlo Ancelotti's side 4-0 at the Vicente Calderon.
If he is to back his words up with actions -- and make Ramos eat his at the same time -- then perhaps we can just start to think that his claims about being at the very top of the game were not so fanciful after all.
Source: espn.co.uk