Antoine Griezmann booed by Atletico Madrid fans in first home game since returning from Barcelona

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free

Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Antoine Griezmann did not exactly receive a hero’s welcome in his first home game since returning to Atletico Madrid from Barcelona this summer.

The France forward left Atletico for Barca in 2019 in a transfer worth around £108million, but he failed to hit the heights that he had in Madrid.

After watching his old club win La Liga last season, he returned on a loan deal in the most recent transfer window.

Atletico played out a 0-0 draw with Porto in their Champions League opener on Wednesday night, in Griezmann’s first game at the Wanda Metropolitano since rejoining his former side.

As the 30-year-old came off the bench in the second half, many of Atletico’s own supporters booed Griezmann, who failed to help Diego Simeone’s team break the deadlock in the Spanish capital.

“Everyone is making a big deal out of this situation,” Simeone said. “Hopefully he will keep improving so he can answer those who are criticising him now. He has a challenge ahead of him because of what happened in the past.”

Atletico have the option to sign Griezmann on a permanent deal at the end of this season.