Atletico Madrid and France superstar Antoine Griezmann has explained just how tough it was for him to reject FC Barcelona's advances in the latest transfer window.
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The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner was believed to be close to joining the Blaugrana in the recent window, but eventually decided to stay at Los Rojiblancos.
Griezmann has now admitted he lost sleep over Barca's interest, and suggested that it was Atletico's eagerness for him to stay that influenced his decision.
"There were times when I wasn't feeling good," the Frenchman told Telefoot.
"I spoke about it with my wife. I woke her up at three in the morning and asked her, 'What are we going to do?' Because I tried to talk about it, but she can't help me, she doesn't know what I'm thinking.
"My parents, either. Some members of my family wanted to see me (at Barcelona), others no, so it was difficult.
"Everyone was calling me, seeing how I was, asking me what I was thinking, each time, they said to me, 'We want you to stay. We'll do everything for you to stay. We're ready to do a lot of things.' That touches you.
"In the Champions League, we want to do better than we did last year, when we weren't able to get past the last 16.
"I think that it was mostly my fault because I wasn't good mentally, and in the league – as usual – to challenge (Barcelona and Real Madrid)."
Griezmann: I Rejected Barca Because…
Griezmann has played eight matches for Atletico so far this season, scoring twice and assisting a further four strikes.
Do you think Griezmann made the right decision in staying at Atletico? Let us know in the comments section below.