Following Atletico Madrid's 5-2 victory over Tottenham in the first leg of the round of 16, Antoine Griezmann made no secret of his goal to reach the Champions League final.
Antoine Griezmann delivered an outstanding performance, scoring one goal and providing one assist in Atletico Madrid's emphatic 5-2 victory over Tottenham in the first leg of the 2025/26 Champions League round of 16.
"We took advantage of some of their mistakes, either due to technical issues or because the pitch was very slippery, which we are used to," Griezmann said about the victory.
The French striker was pleased with the victory, but also regretted that Atletico conceded two goals to Tottenham.
"We played a great game, but it's also a shame that we conceded two goals."
Griezmann also warned Atletico not to be complacent going into the second leg, avoiding a scenario like the recent Copa del Rey semi-final against Barca – winning 4-0 in the first leg, losing 0-3 in the second leg, and almost going into extra time.
"We need to review the game to avoid repeating what happened in Barcelona, because we have a pretty good lead."
When asked about the Champions League final, Griezmann made no secret of his ambition.
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"Reaching the final is my dream and my goal," the former French international emphasized. "I hope we can achieve something great."
Grizi addressed his future amidst rumors of leaving Atletico at the end of the season: “I am very happy here, enjoying life a lot, and what I have shown on the pitch speaks for itself.”
Let's wait and see, but the idea is to stick together for as long as possible, and then everyone else can discuss it."
For his part, Julian Alvarez – the Man of the Match – was also pleased with the victory at the Metropolitano Stadium.
"We know how to capitalize on our opponents' mistakes to gain an early lead, and now we go into the second leg with a three-goal advantage."
Alvarez praised Griezmann's influence: "Antoine's qualities are impressive, his leadership, his influence on the club."
Grizi is playing brilliantly, helping us a lot with his current form. I hope he continues to maintain this level of performance. He is a genius and a role model to follow.”