Xavi reveals main reason for Antoine Griezmann's departure from Barcelona ahead of La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid

Xavi and Barcelona are set for a La Liga clash with fellow title contenders Atletico Madrid on Sunday, and the Catalans' manager talked about former Blaugrana striker Antoine Griezmann, who returned to the Rojiblancos after a two-year stint with Barcelona.

Xavi opened up about why the French star striker left the club and revealed that the Catalans' financial struggles were the main reason behind Antoine Griezmann's departure.

"We decided to let Antoine Griezmann leave just because of the financial situation, the club had to let him go. Griezmann is a player that I like a lot, but he left for that reason," Xavi told media on Saturday, via Fabrizio Romano.

Barcelona has been dealing with financial struggles over the past few seasons, and had to make changes to save money and be able to create a strong team.

Griezmann joined the Blaugrana in the summer of 2019 and stayed with the club through 2021. He then returned to Atletico Madrid, first on loan and permanently in the summer of 2022.

Antoine Griezmann believes moving to Barcelona was a 'mistake'

Antoine Griezmann recently opened up about his time with Barcelona and admitted that his decision to join the Catalans was a 'mistake'. The French star striker admitted that he wasn't happy in the club and that was the reason for his decision to leave after just two years with the squad.

"I decided to leave because I had reached my mental limit. I had to leave. I tried (to stay), but I realised that I wasn't as happy as I was in Madrid and and at Atletico," Griezmann told Marca, via Football Espana.

"It is a joy to be here, I made a mistake, as can happen to everyone, but I will do everything so the fans are proud of their No.7."

The French star striker played a total of 102 games for the Blaugrana, scoring 35 goals. He won the Copa Del Rey in 2021.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has appeared in 37 games across all competitions with Atletico Madrid this season and has 19 goals and seven assists. Six points separate Barcelona (61) and the Rojiblancos (55 points) in La Liga standings.