FRANCE boss Didier Deschamps has blamed Barcelona for Antoine Griezmann missing his third straight penalty for the national team.
The 29-year-old blazed his spot-kick over the bar in injury time in the 1-0 win against Sweden in the Nations League on Saturday.
Antoine Griezmann missed a penalty during the 1-0 win against Sweden on SaturdayCredit: AFP or licensors
French striker Griezmann, 29, hasn’t scored a spot-kick since January 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty
It was his third consecutive miss from 12 yards out for Les Blues having missed against Albania and Andorra last September.
And Deschamps has defended the 2018 World Cup winner, as he claimed Griezmann is struggling because he doesn’t take penalties for Barcelona.
Griezmann is yet to take a penalty for the Bluagrana, with his last spot-kick at club level coming in January 2019 during his time at Atletico Madrid.
Speaking to TF1 via GFFN, Deschamps said: “So long as he feels it and wants to take them, he will continue to take them.
“It is not because he has missed three, it would be another taker, but I am not going to say to you today that because he has missed three that he will no longer take them.
“The problem, is that he does not take them with his club so he does not train on this particular thing.
“We spoke about it at the beginning of this international break.
“Thankfully for France, when he has had to take them, important penalties, notably at the World Cup, his little foot did not tremble and he did what was needed.”
Griezmann’s future at the Nou Camp remains in question after Lionel Messi confirmed he will be staying at Barcelona.
It has been claimed that the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are all keen on the ex-Real Sociedad star.
Spanish media even stated that Barca offered Griezmann back to Atletico in return for Joao Felix., but the proposal was swiftly rejected.
Messi has confirmed that he will stay at Barcelona
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
