Former Barcelona Star Savagely Mocks Club's Copa del Rey Heartbreak With Brutal Five-Word Dig
Antoine Griezmann savored the moment after Atlético Madrid knocked Barcelona out of the Copa del Rey semifinals, using social media after the match to deliver a playful dig at his former team.
Atlético Madrid crushed Barcelona 4–0 in the opening leg of the semifinal, with Griezmann netting the second goal that evening. The Catalan side mounted a spirited comeback attempt and came close to completing the turnaround in the return leg, but their 3–0 win meant Atléti still progressed on aggregate.
Diego Simeone's team ended Barcelona's cup title defense and, as a result, their dominant streak in Spanish football—the 2025–26 Copa del Rey will mark the first domestic competition Barcelona won't claim during the Hansi Flick period. For Griezmann, however, the victory held special significance, and he seized the opportunity to celebrate and tease Barça about their elimination.
Antoine Griezmann Gets Barcelona Revenge With Major Jab
Antoine Griezmann Gets Barcelona Revenge With Major Jab
Griezmann shared an image on Instagram showing himself celebrating Atléti's advancement to the Copa del Rey final, with dejected and weary Barcelona players clearly visible behind him. The French forward went further by adding a playful message to accompany the photo.
"Is this picture too harsh?" Griezmann captioned.
The social media post quickly became viral, sparking outrage among Barça fans while delighting Atléti supporters. Atlético Madrid colleagues Dávid Hancko and Marcos Llorente were among those who engaged with the post, participating in the banter.
Griezmann's social media activity wasn't random or without reason, but rather served as retaliation. Exactly one year prior, Barcelona had eliminated Atléti in the Copa del Rey semifinals, and the Catalans posted a celebration that Griezmann obviously remembered.
Esta foto va muy dura 🥵 pic.twitter.com/TZqhmCIZbe
Barcelona's official X profile shared an image following Atléti's elimination showing their team assembled on the Metropolitano field, with a blurred Griezmann visible in the front. The message? Identical to what Griezmann used twelve months later.
Griezman endured two disappointing campaigns with Barcelona between 2019–2021. He transferred to the Catalans from Atléti amid great expectations, but never reached the performance level he had demonstrated in the Spanish capital and rejoined Los Rojiblancos before the 2021–22 campaign.
While there was never significant hostility between Barcelona and Griezmann, the Catalan social media post clearly bothered the 34-year-old forward. Twelve months later, he had his revenge.
With Griezmann and Atléti reaching the Copa del Rey final, the club icon is now positioned to achieve a career milestone in what might be his last season in Spain.
Antoine Griezmann Close to Ending Trophy Drought
Antoine Griezmann Close to Ending Trophy Drought
Griezman is now in his ninth campaign across his two periods with Atlético Madrid. Having reached the final, the Copa del Rey offers what could be his final opportunity to secure a major domestic championship during his tenure with the club.
Griezmann arrived at Atléti before the 2014–15 season, just months after Simeone guided the team to their first La Liga championship in nearly two decades. However, following an initial Spanish Super Cup victory—in its former single-match format—Griezman would only claim the 2017–18 Europa League before his Barcelona move.
The 2020–21 Copa del Rey championship represents the sole trophy Griezmann captured during his Barcelona stint. Ironically, Atlético Madrid claimed La Liga that identical season, which stands as the most recent silverware won during the Simeone tenure.
No additional trophies have entered Atléti's collection since Griezmann's return in summer 2021. Now, having eliminated his previous club, Griezmann has an opportunity to end his domestic championship drought with the team that transformed him into one of the premier players of the last decade and helped him achieve two Ballon d'Or podium finishes.