Atletico reports Barca to FIFA over Griezmann
After Barcelona director Guillermo Amor suggested the club could have contacted Antoine Griezmann, Atletico Madrid has contacted FIFA to complain about the approach.
Atletico Madrid has reported Barcelona to FIFA over its alleged pursuit of star striker Antoine Griezmann, world football's governing body has confirmed.
The Frenchman is less than a year into a new contract he signed in 2017 that ties him to Atletico until the 2021-2022 season, but Barcelona has reportedly made contact with his team and family members, which Atletico believes goes against FIFA regulations.
Football's world governing body stipulates that if a club wants to sign a player, it must first approach that player's current club before making any personal contact.
Atletico Madrid told Spanish newspaper this week: "Atletico Madrid has reported Barcelona for repeated contact with Griezmann and his people, contact which we are aware of. He is a player with a contract with Atletico Madrid and a long contract at that."
Should FIFA decide Barcelona has a case to answer, the LaLiga giant could face its second transfer ban in three years, having previously been sanctioned for one year after illegally recruiting foreign youngsters in 2014, a ban it served in 2015.
Griezmann has been linked to a number of other clubs, including Manchester United, but Barcelona is the only one Atletico has officially reported to FIFA.
