Griezmann: Champions League final defeat hurt more than Euro 2016 final

Losing the Champions League final hurt more than defeat in the Euro 2016 final, Antoine Griezmann has revealed.

The Atletico Madrid and France star suffered heartbreak in two major finals in the space of three months earlier in the year despite playing a major role in helping both get to those stages of the respective competitions.

His club side were defeated on penalties by bitter rivals Real Madrid, while his national team lost the Euro final on home soil against Portugal thanks to Eder’s winner in extra-time, but Greizmann insists the former was more difficult to cope with.

"The days that followed were very hard and difficult to experience, but with both being very important finals for me," he told GQ, as reported by Footbal Espana.

"The one that hurt the most was the Champions League final because we had two weeks to prepare for it and were making a fuss about how we’d celebrate it with our friends.

"In the end, we lost on penalties."

During both finals the 25-year-old missed chances which could have changed either game in his favour. Against Los Blancos he struck the crossbar with the penalty early in the second half with his side trailing then put a header wide against Portugal at the Euros with the game deadlocked.

It would appear that Griezmman as well as Atletico are still suffering that defeat at the San Siro in May as neither have quite matched the high standards set last season. Diego Simeone’s side went into the winter break sixth in La Liga - nine points behind leaders Madrid.