If Griezmann grows, we all grow – Simeone hails Atletico´s Sevilla rout

Diego Simeone waxed lyrical over hat-trick hero Antoine Griezmann, saying if Atletico Madrid’s star forward grows the whole team grows.

Griezmann was in devastating form in Atleti’s 5-2 rout of Sevilla, scoring three and providing a brilliant assist for Koke after Diego Costa had opened the scoring following an Ever Banega error.

It took his tally to eight goals from his past nine competitive matches, and left Atleti seven points adrift of LaLiga leaders Barcelona.

And head coach Simeone praised his talisman on Sunday.

Speaking to beIN SPORTS, he said: “Antoine is very good.

“I hope he keeps growing because he makes us all grow.”

He later added at a news conference: “He is in a brilliant moment. He did not start the season at his usual level and obviously the team felt it.

“Now Griezmann is in a great moment.”

#HatTrick pic.twitter.com/qW1WIAF882

— Antoine Griezmann (@AntoGriezmann) February 25, 2018

Atleti come up against Barcelona next Sunday in a match that could make or break their title hopes.

But Simeone is refusing to look past a midweek fixture with Leganes.

“We are not thinking about Barcelona,” he said. “We have two-and-a-half days rest before Leganes.

“Leganes is a complicated team, very strong defensively. We approach it calmly.”