Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo joked Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann would make a good strike duo – in Diego Simeone's side.

Griezmann, 28, has continually been linked with a move to Barcelona, where he would join five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi.

Cerezo said earlier this week Griezmann, who is contracted until 2023, was "1,000 per cent" staying at Atletico.

And the president suggested the France international would work well with Messi – at Atletico.

"He would make a very good strike partnership with Messi - at Atletico," Cerezo told Esports SER Catalunya on Thursday.

Atletico can close the gap to LaLiga leaders Barcelona to five points with a win at Camp Nou on Saturday.

They will not be able to stop Barca in the Champions League, having been eliminated in the last 16, but Cerezo hopes Ernesto Valverde's men – the only Spanish team in the quarter-finals – lift the trophy at Atletico's Wanda Metropolitano on June 1.

"Let's hope Barca lift the European Cup at the Metropolitano," he said.