Training denied? Posse around Griezmann goes into the next round

The transfer dispute over the French world champion Antoine Griezmann, courted by FC Barcelona, continues to escalate. According to the Spanish sports daily Marca and AS, the striker will not be entering Atletico Madrid training on Sunday, as his current club had requested.

Griezmann’s lawyer is said to have informed the club officials responsible for the 2018 Europa League winner by e-mail.

Griezmann had already announced in mid-May that it would make use of its opt-out clause and leave Atletico after five years for the fixed transfer fee of 120 million euros.

The world champions are said to have been in agreement with Spanish champions FC Barcelona for some time now, but there are apparently disagreements about the transfer fee between the two clubs. Barca allegedly wants to pay the 120 million in several installments, Madrid immediately demands the complete sum.

Due to the lack of agreement, the capital city had demanded on Friday that Griezmann join the other national players in training on Sunday and go to the training camp in San Rafael on Monday.

A club spokesman did not want to confirm the 28-year-old’s announcement of his absence, but said: “No matter what he communicates, nothing will change. He has a contract with our club until 2023 and should resume training tomorrow like the other players.”

If the offensive player does not show up, the spokesman announced a penalty: “He will be penalised like any player who is absent from an official club event”.