Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes Antoine Griezmann is silencing his "many, many" doubters with form for club and country that proves he is still "extraordinary".
Griezmann had become a source of frustration for Barcelona fans during his two-year spell at Camp Nou, and also left many underwhelmed upon his return to Atletico in 2021.
He began look more influential during the first half of this season but a €40million purchase option centred around the number of minutes he played meant he was rarely a starter until Barca dropped their asking price and agreed a permanent sale to Atletico for €20m in October.
Griezmann then enjoyed a tremendous World Cup campaign with France despite featuring in a much deeper position, playing a vital role as Les Bleus made it all the way to the final before dramatically losing on penalties to Argentina.
Since returning to club action, he has tallied three assists in two matches, including a gorgeous first-time cushioned volley pass to set up Marcos Llorente in the 2-0 Copa del Rey defeat of second-tier Real Oviedo on Wednesday.
Simeone had always backed Griezmann, and he believes some of his critics are now being hushed.
"You have to go back and remember seven days before the World Cup, how he played in the first game [in the Copa del Rey] we had. He did it with the same dedication, the same commitment," Simeone told reporters.
"Antoine always wanted to be here. He regained the affection of the fans; [on] the field [he] speaks, and it is a good image for his teammates, wanting them to reach an important level.
"He is an extraordinary player despite the fact that many, many, thought otherwise."
Up next for Atletico on Sunday in LaLiga is the visit of Griezmann's former team, Barca.
Sheffield United go second after late turnaround, Plymouth continue good home form
Sheffield United staged a late turnaround to win 2-1 away to Bristol City and go second in the Championship, one point behind leaders Sunderland who play on Wednesday.
The game started slowly, with the hosts not opening the scoring until a 75th-minute Anis Mehmeti penalty after a foul on Sinclair Armstrong by goalkeeper Michael Cooper.
The Blades showed great character to haul themselves back into the game, with 18-year-old Ryan One scoring the equaliser in the 86th minute.
But things went up a notch in stoppage time when Robert Dickie was given a straight red card for a cynical foul on Callum O'Hare 35 yards out.
The drama wasn't finished yet and with seconds to go, Harrison Burrows smashed home a left-foot rocket to win the game for the Blades.
At the bottom of the table, Plymouth opened a four-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone with a 1-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth.
The victory means that Wayne Rooney's side have dropped just two points in their last five games at Home Park, having lost six on the bounce in all competitions away.
It is now four without a victory for Portsmouth, who have earned just nine points in their opening 14 matches back in the Championship.
Elsewhere, Middlesbrough responded to their 3-0 defeat at home to Coventry City last weekend by beating second-bottom Queens Park Rangers 4-1 on the road.
That was a first victory in three for Michael Carrick's side, who are one place below the play-off positions and trail only by goal difference.
QPR are four points behind fourth-bottom Preston North End, having failed to win any of their last 10 league games.
Al-Nassr 5-1 Al-Ain: Ronaldo on target in AFC Champions League win
Cristiano Ronaldo powered Al-Nassr to a convincing 5-1 triumph over Asian Champions League Elite holders Al-Ain on Tuesday.
The victory carried a sense of redemption for Al-Nassr as they avenged last season's semi-final defeat to the same opposition on their way to lifting a second title in the competition.
Talisca fired the hosts into a fifth minute lead with a well-taken effort from the edge of the box before Ronaldo poked home his 908th career goal just after the half-hour mark.
Visiting defender Fabio Cardoso then deflected Angelo's effort beyond Khalid Eisa to hand Al-Nassr a comfortable advantage at the interval.
Al-Ain did, however, pull one back early in the second half when Park Yong-woo's strike struck the post and went in off the back of Al-Nassr goalkeeper Bento.
But the result was put beyond doubt late on when Wesley curled home Al-Nassr's fourth, before Talisca notched his brace in second half stoppage time.
Data Debrief: Return of Ronaldo
After winning five Champions League across his glittering career, Ronaldo is now eyeing a first AFC Champions League crown with Al-Nassr.
The 39-year-old has six goals in eight appearances in the competition, with his goal against Al-Ain ending a three-game goal drought for Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo also registered a team-high expected goals (xG) tally of 1.25 towards Al-Nassr's 2.67 total, while also producing more shots (eight) and touches in the opposition box (nine) than any other player on the pitch.
Simeone wary of PSG threat but calm about Atleti's Champions League struggles
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is wary of the challenge his team will face against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, despite the French giants' Champions League travails.
Atletico and PSG have both struggled in the competition's new-look league phase, with Los Colchoneros taking three points from three matches to sit one behind PSG.
They have won nine of their 16 fixtures against French opposition in Europe's elite club competition but have never crossed paths with Ligue 1's most successful side.
"I didn't know that," Simeone told reporters when that face was highlighted at Tuesday's pre-match press conference.
"We need to stay calm, compete like in every match and do our best.
"I love the way PSG play, they have a very good game, they are dynamic and are marked by their coach.
"They have young, dynamic players, who we don't know where they're going to go, and some fixed points to pin people down in defence. From there they can grow.
"They have a lot of guys moving around in different positions from midfield and they play the kind of football that Luis Enrique has always played."
Atletico are coming off two defeats against Lille (3-1) and Benfica (4-0) after they won their Champions League opener 2-1 against RB Leipzig.
"It is still early, we are just starting, the season is long and the numbers are done at the end," Simeone said.
"It is normal to be worried, but we have to wait for the objectives, to be able to give a correct opinion. It will be a tough match, that is for sure."
Atletico will face the French champions without suspended defender Jose Maria Gimenez as well as Robin Le Normand, who continues to recover after a clash of heads with Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in their 1-1 derby draw last month.
"We have quite a few casualties in the defence," Simeone added.
"The team is competing and trying to find the tools to compete as that's what we have to do. We will try to do it in the best way with the boys who will have to come on."
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