‘Messi’s attitude towards Griezmann is deplorable’
French forward Antoine Griezmann's former advisor Eric Olhats has claimed that Lionel Messi's attitude towards Barcelona team-mate Antoine Griezmann has been 'deplorable'. He further said that the Argentine superstar is a bad influence off the pitch at Camp Nou.
Griezmann has often found himself playing the same kind of role that Messi has already made his own at Barcelona. On the other hand, Griezmann has often lacked the finishing he is expected to excel in, leading to notion that his signing was unnecessary.
Olhats says that is not down to a lack of effort from the 29-year-old.
For him, certain high-profile figures have made life more difficult for Griezmann than it needed to be, with Messi – who pushed for a move away from Barca in the last transfer window – considered to hold too much power at the club.
Olhats told France Football: "Antoine arrived in a struggling club where Messi has a view on everything.
"He's at the same time emperor and monarch, and he didn't see Antoine's arrival with a good eye.
"His attitude has been deplorable, he made him feel that. I've always heard Antoine say there's no problem with Messi, but never the other way around.
"In my eyes, Messi said he wanted to leave to see what role he still had as a decision-making player, regarding the players who arrived and those who left, but he eventually stayed. Classic Messi! As good on the pitch as he is bad off it.
"Barcelona has been suffering for a while. There was a cancer in that club, and it obviously leaves some marks."
Griezmann has only scored twice in this season, with one of those coming after Messi's clever dummy which bamboozled the Real Betis defence and left Griezmann with an easy finish to get a confidence-boosting goal in Barca's last game.
Olharts says struggles for consistency are down to issues outside of the Frenchman's control.
He added: "It's the club that's sick, not him.
"Last year, when Antoine arrived, Messi didn't talk to him, didn't pass him the ball. He created a real trauma for a more than negative adaptation.
"That clearly left its mark. It was clear and visible. Add to that the president stepping down, the club conceding eight against Bayern and three different managers, the conditions aren't good."
While conceding that Griezmann has found the going tough at Camp Nou, Olharts claims to be "very confident" that a seasoned performer will turn things around and prove his worth to those who continue to write him off.
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