Over two months after signing for Barcelona, Antoine Griezmann’s move from Atlético Madrid is still causing waves.
The French striker finally headed to the Nou Camp this summer in a €120m deal this summer, after missing out on the move last year.
The deal saw him buy out his contract with Atlético to secure the move and most assumed that would be the end of the affair.
To the contrary, Atlético reacted with fury to Griezmann’s move, arguing that they should receive an extra €80m as they believed the striker had negotiated the move back in March when his release clause stood at €200m.
Such was their anger they elected to file a complaint against Barcelona and chase the money they believe they’re owed through the courts.
That court case is still ongoing, and it seems it could end up with Barcelona having to play a match behind closed doors.
The newspaper explains that on Monday, El Mundo reported the examining judge appointed by the same Competition Committee, Juantxo Landaberea, proposed that Barcelona receive a fine of €300, but given that’s a relatively low amount, a match behind closed doors could be the alternative to the sanction. Articles 88 and 126 of the Disciplinary Code cover this proposal.
That was passed on to judge Carmen Pérez, who must now decide whether Barcelona were actually in contact with Griezmann while he was under contract at Atlético, or dismiss the case altogether.
Should she decide they were in contact, she can then pass down the sentence the examining judge has suggested, which is either the €300 fine or a match behind closed doors.
Barcelona will naturally be hoping the case gets thrown out, but if it doesn’t, they’ll be hoping to pay the tiny fee, as a match behind closed doors would likely to cost them in the millions from lost revenue.
Should the decision go against them, they can take it to appeal with the Appeals Committee and The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), meaning this long-running saga may have some miles left in the tank.
Down their end, Atlético Madrid could not withdraw their complaint once filed, despite contacts with Barcelona since, as them putting it forward in the first place opened a Public Law procedure that must run its course.
