Atletico Madrid's AG/DC partnership of Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa can rock Barcelona

Andy West 21:02 03/03/2018
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  • Atletico Madrid pair Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann

    Over recent years, the Spanish media has developed a habit of coining ‘amusing’ nicknames for strike forces at major clubs.

    First we had the BBC in Madrid (Benzema, Bale, Cristiano), soon followed by MSN at Barcelona (Messi, Suarez, Neymar).

    And now, in homage to the legendary Australian hard rock band, we’ve been given the most tenuous nickname of them all for Atletico Madrid’s frontline: AG/DC.

    Today, Antoine Griezmann and Diego Costa will attempt to send Barcelona on the ‘Highway to Hell’, knowing that their defence is in safe hands ‘Back in (O)black’ and hoping that the midfield battle will be won by ‘A Whole Lotta Koke’.

    Enough. But behind the silly puns, there lies some serious substance because the AG/DC forward line is looking very good indeed, revitalising the title race and breathing fresh life into an Atletico team which not long ago appeared to be floundering, failing to reach the Champions League knockout rounds and being humiliated in the Copa del Rey by Sevilla.

    Atletico had to be very patient with Costa, as FIFA’s transfer ban ensured the combustible former Chelsea man was forced to wait until January before he could make his second debut.

    But the 2014 title-winner was worth waiting for, especially for Griezmann who has finally found the reliable attacking partner he has been lacking throughout his time at the club.

    With the likes of Fernando Torres, Kevin Gameiro, Angel Correa and Yannick Carrasco only ever performing in fits and starts, Griezmann was forced to bear the burden of carrying the forward line almost alone for far too long.

    Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres

    Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres

    Earlier this season it looked like the French forward had stayed with Atletico for one season too many, having spurned Manchester United’s advances in the summer but looking a shadow of the player who had earned a reputation as one of the best forwards in the world.

    But now the snarling, aggressive and brutally effective presence of Costa – every central defender’s worst nightmare – is finally giving Griezmann some support, providing a focal point of the attack which the Frenchman can play around and feed off, rather than having to do it all by himself.

    The addition of Costa has truly liberated Griezmann, who is in the best form of his life after blasting home seven goals in his last two games, helping Atletico achieve highly impressive victories over Sevilla (5-2) and Leganes (4-0).

    One of his goals at Sevilla epitomised Griezmann’s soaring levels of confidence. Running at full pace onto a loose ball on the edge of the box, with Costa single-handedly occupying all ten Sevilla outfield players (or so it seemed), Griezmann took a nimble touch before exploding a sumptuous drive into the top right corner.

    On Sunday, Griezmann will attempt to maintain that form and gun down a Barcelona team he is strongly expected to join in the summer, with the Camp Nou making no secret of their intentions to capture the striker in a €100 million transfer.

    Before, then, though, Griezmann has unfinished business with Atletico. He is regularly confronted by the criticism that, for all his talent, he has not yet won a major trophy. That would obviously be one of his major motivations for moving to Barcelona, but first he wants to leave his current club on a high by pulling off a remarkable raid for La Liga.

    Victory at Camp Nou would leave Atletico just two points behind the leaders, and swing the momentum firmly in their favour.

    And on current form we can be certain of one thing: Atletico are ready crank it up in their pursuit of glory. Just like AG/DC.

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