Atletico reports Barcelona to FIFA over illegal approach for Griezmann

Atletico Madrid filed an official complaint to FIFA regarding Barcelona's pursuit of Antoine Griezmann after a director from the Catalan club visited the French striker's family.

Reports of a potential move to the Camp Nou have picked up steam in recent weeks, with a report suggesting that Manchester United had dropped out of the race to sign Griezmann over a belief that the French international is close to agreeing to a deal with Barcelona.

However, Atletico's anger stems from the increasingly public nature of Barcelona's effort to sign Griezmann despite his contractual commitment to the capital-city club.

"Atletico Madrid have reported Barcelona for repeated contact with Griezmann and his people, contact which we are aware of,” a spokesman for the club said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo. “He is a player with a contract with Atlético Madrid and a long contract at that.”

Barcelona director Guillermo Amor revealed that club president Josep Maria Bartomeu held a meeting with the Griezmann clan.

"If Bartomeu met with Griezmann's family as the newspapers say, then there may well have been an approach," Amor said, as translated by the Independent. "Though, I don't know anything for sure.

"There is a good relationship, there can also be comfortable conversations. Rumours are inevitable in the football world.

"In Griezmann's case there are many people we talk to; it's our obligation to have contact with players."

The formal complaint is the second filed against Barcelona this month following Gremio's grievance regarding a picture that emerged of prodigy Arthur wearing a Blaugrana shirt alongside a director from the Liga leader.