“It’s better not to talk about certain things” - Samuel Umtiti on Antoine Griezmann’s struggles at Barcelona

Former Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has refused to go into details with regards to Antoine Griezmann's time with the Spanish giants. The pair of France internationals crossed paths at the Nou Camp, with Griezmann having enjoyed a fine spell in Spain prior to the move.

Griezmann failed to replicate his performances for Atletico Madrid in Catalunya, and compatriot Umtiti, who witnessed it all, remains unsure what went wrong for the forward. He pointed out on RMC's Generation After programme that Griezmann was technically and physically at an elite level and should have been able to contribute better to the club.

“Honestly, it’s a difficult question to answer. I know him well, but it’s better not to talk about certain things. I think everything should have worked out because Antoine is an intelligent player; he always works for the team. He had every chance to succeed. The reasons could be related to the environment, coaches, and other factors", he said (via Barca Universal).

Barcelona sought to strengthen their frontline for years after selling Neymar in a world-record deal to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). One of the players they signed to try and replace the Brazilian was Atletico Madrid star Griezmann, whose transfer cost them around €120 million.

Antoine Griezmann played 102 times for Barcelona over two full seasons, scoring 35 goals and providing 16 assists. He joined the club in the summer of 2019 and left in the summer of 2021, returning to Atletico Madrid, where he has been ever since.

Umtiti opens up on circumstances surrounding Barcelona exit

Former defender Samuel Umtiti has opened up on events that occurred during his time at a Barcelona and ultimately led to his leaving the club. The Frenchman endured an injury-hit spell with the Spanish giants before leaving as a free agent in 2023.

Umtiti told RMC about the rifts that took place between him and Barcelona which were brought about by differences in managing his injuries. He admitted that he got the club to do what he wanted with respect to his initial knee problem in 2018, but that ultimately led to discord between them.

"After the World Cup, I wanted to take some time to find out exactly what I had and make the right decisions about my treatment. We weren't necessarily in agreement with the club, so I decided to look elsewhere, to see specialists so that everyone could give me their opinion. Most of them told me that I didn't need to have surgery. In the end, Barcelona listened to my choice, to what I wanted. But I think there were things that happened internally that people didn't necessarily appreciate, whereas I have enormous respect for everyone. Just because I'm not doing my rehabilitation with you doesn't mean I don't love you. No, it's just that I had decided on something else because what you offered me didn't work out. But ultimately, from that moment on, I think the rift was created and people started talking, saying things that weren't necessarily true, putting all the blame on me. The most important thing for me was to come back", he said (via GOAL).

Samuel Umtiti joined Barcelona in 2016 and was a regular at the club until his injury problems began after the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He managed 134 appearances for the club before leaving at the end of his contract in 2023 to join Lille. He retired from professional football aged 31 in September due to persistent injury problems.

Edited by Sulayman Salahudeen