News of Karim Benzema’s continued suspension from the French national team must’ve reached Antoine Griezmann at some point before Atletico Madrid's pivotal quarterfinal second leg against Barcelona on Wednesday.
Preparing for the most important game of his young club career, the immensity of the implications would not have been lost on Griezmann. With Benzema suspended, he’s now seemingly been charged with spearheading the French attack at Euro 2016 in his native France.
It’s a role he’s been quickly preparing for. In a friendly against Holland in March he demonstrated the same tenacity and verve that has seen him become the undisputed leading attacking light at Atletico.
Against Barcelona, Griezmann provided both of Atletico’s goals while running himself into the ground. It was a performance that made supporters forget all about the suspension of Fernando Torres - fitting for a player that has made supporters forget about the departures of Diego Costa, David Villa and Mario Mandzukic over the last two years.
In two seasons in the Spanish capital, Griezmann has scored 54 goals in 98 appearances for Atleti. It’s been an astronomical rise for the 25-year-old considering he scored 52 goals in 201 appearances for Real Sociedad from 2009-2014.
In the 36th minute of Atletico’s victory over Barcelona, Griezmann found enough space between the Barcelona defense to power an unstoppable header beyond the reach of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
With Barcelona holding over 76 percent of possession, Atletico were forced to work for their victory. No one exemplified this outrageous work ethic better than Griezmann.
In the 81st minute, Griezmann was busy stopping Barcelona attacks in his own half. In the 88th minute, he stormed forward on an Atleti counterattack, forcing Andres Iniesta to handle a pass that was destined to reach his feet.
He then stepped up and cooly slotted home the penalty which assuaged the nerves of the supporters inside the Estadio Vicente Calderon.
His eventual substitution gave way to a boisterous standing ovation, 55,000 Atletico Madrid supporters showing their appreciation for the man from Macon, France.
For France, Griezmann’s big performance highlights what he could bring to the national team. A very different player from Benzema, he may not offer the experience and polish of Real Madrid’s hitman, but Griezmann still boasts an array of qualities that could greatly compliment the abilities of players like Dimitri Payet, Anthony Martial and Kingsley Coman.
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France’s quarterfinal defeat to Germany at the 2014 World Cup featured an unhurried French approach that did little to trouble Germany’s backline. With Griezmann at the front, expect more pressing, running and harrying from the French frontline.
For now, it's looking like Benzema's loss is almost certainly France's gain. For Griezmann, a spot in the Champions League semifinals and a matchup against either Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Manchester City represents another chance to burnish his growing reputation.
