The Weekly Rojiblanco: The Champions League returns

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It’s time. We’ve been waiting for it since early June (or, really, since last December). The UEFA Champions League is back and the group stage matches look to be mouth-watering affairs. Atlético Madrid first line up against the club that sold Kylian Mbappé one year too early AS Monaco on Tuesday night.

Simeone’s squad was announced Monday afternoon and there are still several players missing due to injury. While Lucas Hernández is back after a stomach bug put him in the hospital, Santiago Arias is still recovering from a broken rib and Vitolo, Nikola Kalinić and Stefan Savić are on the shelf as well.

The boys are back in town

This weekend the boys from Madrid came back for a clash with Eibar — and, well, the result wasn’t great even if the performance showed an improved side. Check out our report, ratings and podcast from Atlético’s 1-1 draw with Eibar.

Big Griezmann interview

Antoine Griezmann granted AS an interview that the Madrid daily published Monday morning. Among the highlights: the Frenchman claims he now eats at the same table as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, money was never a factor in staying with Atlético and the Ballon d’Or is the individual award he really wants.

He also taught AS journalists to Take the L. Because maintaining the brand is important.

Diego Godín sets out to prove his legend one more time

Last week, Jeremy wrote a (kinda long) column on Diego Godín’s early-season problems and where his career could head now that he’s being challenged by the upstarts who have long been behind him in the pecking order. Check out that piece here.

Rumors: El Chucky and — you guessed it — Griezmann!

Barcelona and Atlético are said to both be hot on the trail of PSV attacker and Mexican World Cup standout Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. The 22-year-old was linked all summer with a big move out of the Dutch side since his winner against defending World Cup champions Germany.

And, of course, there are more rumblings about a big foreign club moving for Grizi. In something that is now akin to the Blob, French outlet 10Sport claims that Zinedine Zidane will move to activate Griezmann’s €200 million release clause when if he replaces José Mourinho.

Also, Jackson Martínez is back!