Amidst the humorous moments, there was still a bit of class. On a night when many players continuously passed the ball into the opponent's feet, Antoine Griezmann made a delicate touch to create an opportunity for Julian Alvarez to rush up and score into the space where Tottenham's defense should have been present.
The Champions League quarter-finals may be Griezmann's last round of this tournament, perhaps forever. The French player, the World Cup champion, has spent his entire club career in Spain but will cross the Atlantic this summer to join Orlando City. If the MLS club had achieved what they wanted, he would have left a long time ago. Instead, Griezmann's long-term farewell would include a final Champions League appearance.
Perhaps it would be ironic if his 13th and final effort was ended by his old club. In 2019, after joining Barcelona, he once said that winning the Champions League was his dream. But that journey was like a nightmare.
The first season ended with a historic 2-8 defeat to Bayern Munich, the next season was a 1-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Two seasons at Barcelona and Real Sociedad also caused him to miss La Liga glory, when Atletico Madrid won the championship in 2014 and 2021 - times when he no longer wore the shirt of this team.
However, a person who was once suspected of not being suitable to replace Lionel Messi at Barcelona is preparing to leave as the greatest player under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. "Griezmann is a different player, who has dedicated everything to Atletico Madrid" - Simeone affirmed. The player with the most goals in club history - surpassing Luis Aragones - left a much greater legacy than his modest collection of titles.
In addition to the Super Cups, the 2018 Europa League title is Griezmann's only major title with Atletico Madrid. He still has the opportunity to add another title, but with the difficulty of the Champions League, the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad is perhaps a more realistic opportunity for a beautiful ending.
At the age of 35, Griezmann still maintains incredible endurance. Among the non-goalkeeper players still playing in the Champions League, only Robert Lewandowski is older than him.
An era is coming to an end. That was the era when Atletico Madrid became the third strongest force in Spanish football, always present in the Champions League and stable under Simeone. An important part of that journey came from Griezmann's 211 goals - numbers that cannot be measured only by titles.
Both on and off the field, Griezmann is Atletico Madrid's most successful signing. This is further emphasized when the large amount of money earned from selling him to Barcelona has been wasted on deals like Joao Felix. The difference between the two players further shows Griezmann's special influence.
At Barcelona, Griezmann cannot maximize when he has to play close to Lionel Messi in an inappropriate formation. Conversely, at Atletico, he is the perfect piece in Simeone's system, often pairing with center forwards and playing the role of connecting the playing style.
Now, as Atletico continues their Champions League journey, all eyes are on Griezmann - who brought the team to the quarter-finals 10 years ago with a double to eliminate Barcelona. But memories also evoke pain, such as a penalty missed in the 2016 final.
Atletico Madrid, like Arsenal, is one of the biggest teams that has never won the Champions League. Simeone is one of the best coaches who has never touched this title. And Griezmann, the best player of his generation at Atletico, is also among them.
He is currently ranked 19th in the list of all-time scorers in the Champions League. In the top 20, only 3 other players - Ruud van Nistelrooy, Harry Kane and Zlatan Ibrahimovic - have never won this tournament.
Of course, Griezmann is not short of glorious moments. In 2018, he won a double of Europa League and World Cup titles, scored in both finals and was voted Player of the Match. That was the peak of his career, especially when he was used by coach Didier Deschamps as a creative midfielder.
At Atletico, he is still a backward striker, a linked player, a rhythm-maker for the playing style. And although Simeone's team was once famous for its pragmatic style of play, the current version brings more hope to those who believe in a beautiful ending.
He looks like he's dancing while playing" - Barcelona coach Hansi Flick commented.
Griezmann is in his final dance. Music will stop, but perhaps he still has one more piece of music before leaving the Champions League stage.
