Antoine Griezmann arrived at Barcelona with huge expectations. After establishing himself as one of the best strikers in Europe during his first spell at Atlético de Madrid, many believed that the Frenchman would become a key figure at Camp Nou for several years to come. However, his time in Catalonia became one of the most enigmatic chapters of his career. Despite producing respectable numbers and showing flashes of his quality, Griezmann never looked truly comfortable in a Barcelona shirt. Years after his departure, questions remain as to why one of the most complete strikers in world football would have difficulty replicating his Atlético form at Barça. Now former teammate Jordi Alba has offered his own explanation. Speaking on Mario Suarez's YouTube channel, as reported by Mundo Deportivo, Alba reflected on Griezmann's time at Barcelona and insisted the Frenchman did everything he could to make the move work. The former Barcelona left-back praised Griezmann's professionalism and commitment during their time together. "He did things well, you know? He was a very dedicated guy. He brought something different to the table because, having worked with Cholo physically, he was always at one thousand percent. Technically, he was very good," explained Alba. The Spaniard made it clear that effort and quality were never the problem. Instead, he believes the main problem was that Griezmann simply never found his place within Barcelona's system. "But like many players, in the end he didn't adapt in the best way." This is an opinion shared by many who have seen Griezmann struggle to establish a clear role alongside Lionel Messi and other stars during his two seasons at the club. The most revealing part of Alba's assessment came when discussing what happened after Griezmann left Camp Nou. After his return to Atlético de Madrid, the French striker rediscovered the form that had made him one of the most sought-after players in Europe. His performances became decisive again, and he re-established himself as one of Diego Simeone's most important players. Alba pointed directly to this transformation when he said: "Then he returned to Atlético and became that Griezmann again — the one Barça had set their eyes on."