Griezmann: I know I'll get whistled at the Wanda Metropolitano, but I'll always have Atletico in my heart

Antoine Griezmann has admitted that he's not expecting a warm welcome on his return to Atletico Madrid with Barcelona.

The Frenchman hasn't been able to fully explain his exit from Los Rojiblancos and spoke to MARCA about his decision.

In an exclusive interview with MARCA, Griezmann told us about playing with Lionel Messi, his admiration for Diego Simeone and enjoying Uruguayan traditions with Luis Suarez among an array of subjects.

How are you feeling in your first days as a Barcelona player?

"Good, really good. With lots of stress and pressure to finalise it all. I just wanted to end my holiday and start this new challenge. The dressing room have welcomed me very well: players, coaching staff and doctors and, for the moment, I'm enjoying it and let's hope I can get enough confidence to speak, be myself and enjoy."

What was it like when you were told that everything was finalised and you were a Barcelona player?

"Well, I called my father and I started to cry with happiness because I was there, everything was done. I was with my friends, my wife and my children and it was an incredible moment."

And now you're here. We've been reading all summer that the dressing room wouldn't welcome you or wouldn't want you if you came. How has it been for you? Have you found yourself feeling rejected like everyone said you would?

"No, no. The welcome has been very nice. I know that there is someone for every problem that you can have. I went for dinner with Jordi Alba the other day and these things help me feel good and become confident in the group.

"Barcelona are building a team like a cheat code in a video game: Luis Suarez, Messi, Dembele, Frenkie de Jong... We have a good team, great players and then it's the boss that has to decide who plays. We'll be ready to enjoy ourselves and make the fans and ourselves happy at all times."

For a player that is used to playing with freedom, will it be a challenge playing with Messi? I understand that your role in the team will be very different to what it was at Atletico?

"Yes, it will be amazing [to play alongside him]. I'm excited to see what he's like day to day, what he's like in training, [I want to] catch him doing things in training that I will try to repeat or do in my own way and get to know him on and off the pitch. I can't wait for him to arrive. I will be ready to do whatever it takes: for him, for the club and for the players."

You're clearly not worried about getting on badly with him. You're very relaxed about this subject.

"Well, I'm not a difficult person. I like to be around people, to enjoy their company and I'm sure that we'll get on really well."

We've spoken before about a video game squad. If you arrive, then Neymar... what madness!

"Well yes, it makes it even more difficult for the boss and it's more competitive in the group. [Neymar] is a great player. I know him a bit and we'll see what happens."

We're going to go back a bit. You're giving the feeling that you couldn't explain your reasons for leaving Atletico Madrid as you would've liked. If you were to meet with Miguel Angel Gil Marin, what would you say to him?

"So don't forget that we spoke in his own home with Andrea [Berta] and El Cholo. The most important thing for me is that I tried to leave on the best possible terms, in the way that the club said to, I'd have liked to have done it in the way that Juanfran and Diego [Godin] did, but they asked me to do it with a video. I said my goodbyes to the players, the staff, the physios and everyone, that was the most important thing."

Does returning to the Wanda Metropolitano worry you?

"No. I know that there will be whistles. It's part of football: they really loved me and when someone leaves, it can hurt. It was like that at Real Sociedad: my first visit back wasn't easy, but I will always have La Real and Atleti in my heart because they gave me so much."

If you could go back in time, would you change anything you did?

"No, because I did what I wanted to: go to see the players, to see Cholo at his house... the worst thing was that video, but I couldn't do anything else."

El Cholo has said publicly that he's grateful and that it will be difficult to forget everything you did at the club.

"They are signing important players, they are building a great team and with El Cholo you already know that they will be fighting until the last moment because he is like that, the club is like that and I owe Cholo so much."

Do you also think that football owes Atletico Madrid a Champions League title?

"Yes, I think so. They're doing everything possible to [win it]. The level that El Cholo has taken Atletico to is incredible, unthinkable. And he maintains it, that is the most difficult thing. They are succeeding."

Now we're going to look forward: Ernesto Valverde. He's a coach that has liked you since you were a teenager. Many people don't know that he tried to sign you for Athletic Club when you were at La Real, isn't that right?

"Yes, it seems like he's always loved me. There were always comments and now I'm looking forward to being with him, to see what he's like day to day, in training, in matches... He has a player for everything at his disposal here."

How are you having lost your 'Uruguayan connection' with Godin? Now you have Luis Suarez, you'll be able to keep up your taste in their customs.

"I'm glad: I haven't had any Maté herbs here for example and I've asked [Suarez] to send me some with a friend and he's already brought me some, which is great. And then, on the field, he's a great player that guarantees lots of goals and lots of trophies. I will also be here to give him lots of assists or for him to give them to me. I'm sure that we'll get along perfectly."

Speaking of goals: the team that you've played against the most is Real Madrid and you've scored eight goals.

"It's not bad... I'm sure that this will be valued highly here. Eight? [I had] no idea [laughs].

But you still haven't scored at the Camp Nou...

"Yes, that's true, it's always been hard for me at the Camp Nou. Now we'll see if I achieve it with this shirt on."

Have you thought about the celebration yet?

"Yes [laughs], I have one prepared. We'll see if it all goes well, but first I have to score."

So you're not going to tell us?

"No, sorry."

Will it be a repeat of one of the classics, like the Fortnite dance?

"I don't know. I'm always asked [to do it] when people take photos with me. But no, we've moved on to something else."

As well as the Uruguayan touch, there are also lots of great French players in your new dressing room. Do you feel at home?

"Yes, now, when we go in cold water to recover, the five of us (Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Jean-Clair Todibo) are together. It's the same when we go to eat. We get along really well, when we go out for training, we wait for the last Frenchman before going out together. Like in the exercises. Now we're going to try to get Ousmane [Dembele] to speak more in Spanish and we're already seeing it."

How is your fitness? We've seen that you've been working with your personal physio this summer, but are you ready to perform immediately like Valverde says?

"I'm very well. I still need matches to get up to speed but I'm fine, full of energy and joy, and that's all you need."

Who will you be sharing a room with or spending most time with during the tour of Japan?

"I don't know if there will be individual rooms, but I will spend lots of time playing PES or Football Manager with Dembele, although I prefer to play on my own in my room."

Finally, what is your objective for this season?

"If you ask the fans, they will say it's winning the three trophies. And the players and the board would say that too. We're able to win everything. It will be difficult, but we'll work towards to [achieve] it."