La Liga 2016/17: Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid: 5 Talking Points

4. Antoine Griezmann firmly announces that he is indeed, the “next big thing”

When Antoine Griezmann was shortlisted amongst the three people for the FIFA BEST Award, alongside those two, quite a few eyebrows had been raised. He’d been good in 2016, but had he been that good? His form in the beginning of the 2016-17 season validated this. Meh! Flash in the pan, that lad. Nothing’s gonna come off him. But then gradually, he got back to his best. In 2017, he’s been unbelievable

His record over the last 12 games read Goal Assist Assist Goal Goal Goal Goal Goal Goal Assist Goal Goal. He’s scored 15 times in La Liga this season. And he’s scored 3 in his last 4 matches at the Bernabeu.

Even more than the goal, the moment of magic that clearly stood out was when Carrasco crossed from the right wing, Griezmann angled his body in such a way as to receive it with a perfect bicycle kick volley that nearly took Navas’ hands off. A foot on either side and it would have been the goal of the season. Period. (Yes, I know he’d already been called offside, but see the replays again - it’s a very contentious call)

Every time he touched the ball, you could sense that something was going to happen – that sense of anticipation that only the very best players in the world command – despite the shambles that was all around him.

Apart from that rather stupid celebration of his, he was near-perfect against Real.