Barcelona's coach Valverde criticises Griezmann after defeat against Athletic Bilbao

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ANI Cricket
Last Updated : Aug 17 2019 | 12:20 PM IST

Barcelona's coach Ernesto Valverde criticised forward player Antoine Griezmann's performance in the opening game of the La Liga against Athletic Bilbao on Friday.

"Of course, he is aware that we all expect a lot from many players and he has to look to get more into the game," Goal.com quoted Valverde as saying.

The 28-year-old made his first La Liga appearance for Barca after he was signed by the club from Atletico Madrid. Barcelona faced a 1-0 defeat against Athletic Bilbao.

"If he's near the area, he is decisive and moves well, but you have to dominate the game for that to happen," Valverde said.

Griezmann struggled to make an impact in absence of captain Lionel Messi, while Luis Suarez's first-half injury left him isolated.

"Putting him on the left side, we know that you are going to focus on the goal, but we have a side and players that can hold the game," Valverde said.

Valverde also commented on the Luis Suarez injury as he left the field just after the half-hour mark due to an apparent calf injury.

Valverde said: "He has a muscular problem and we have to wait for the tests. In the second half, when we were around the Athletic's area, we missed him."

Athletic Bilbao will face Getafe CF in their next game on August 25 while Barcelona will play against Real Betis on August 26.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

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First Published: Aug 17 2019 | 11:58 AM IST