Griezmann Admits Copying Messi's Technique for Second Goal vs. Real Betis
Antoine Griezmann has admitted to copying a technique used by Lionel Messi in training, after he scored his first Barcelona goals in his home debut against Real Betis on Sunday evening.
Barca are already in the midst of a minor injury crisis, and had to make do without the injured trio of Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele as they attempted to recover from an opening day defeat at Bilbao.
It was just as well they had the quality of Griezmann to step in, then, and the French forward led the line exquisitely – scoring the first two of five goals as the Blaugrana came from behind to win 5-2.
His performance as Barca's centre-forward inevitably drew plenty comparisons to Messi, but you would have been forgiven for thinking you were watching the Argentine himself when Griezmann cut in from the right to curl a left-footed effort into the far corner, and give his side a 2-1 lead early in the second half.
And the likeness is no coincidence, as Griezmann admitted after the match that it was a technique learned from the best in the world.
“I saw Leo do that in training and I copied him," the 28-year-old said, as quoted by SPORT.
Griezmann's double overturned the deficit caused by Nabil Fekir's early strike, before the game was put to bed by further goals from Carles Perez, Jordi Alba and Arturo Vidal.
Loren Moron grabbed a late consolation to save some face for the visitors, but it was nonetheless a convincing display, and one Griezmann is happy with after the trials and tribulations of the shock opening weekend defeat.
“After a defeat people talk, we worked hard this week and their goal woke us up,” he said. “We had a lot of drive after the Bilbao game and we put in a great performance in the end. There are a lot of things to improve but we have to continue on this path.”
