Atletico: Julián Álvarez Leaves Alone After Booing in Villarreal

Leaving Alone

The Argentine forward Julián Álvarez, who had spent two weeks training with the squad, arrived on the bench of Atlético Madrid in the last minute of the 2-2 draw against Villarreal, 21 minutes into the second half. During the match, the fans emitted strong boos when he appeared on the giant screen and when he was allowed to enter. At the end of the game, while the team gathered on the halfway line to greet the fans, Álvarez separated from everyone and walked alone, downcast, toward the dressing room. On his way, a club scarf thrown from the stands fell, preventing him from stepping on it.

Coach’s Reaction

In the press conference, coach Simeone was forced to respond about Álvarez’s attitude. He stated that the decision to keep him away from the stands was made by the club’s management: "The club decided that he should not approach the stands and his people. The decision was the club’s to keep him away and separate him so that he comes to the dressing room." He added that he was not there to give advice and that his focus was on sporting performance: "If we want to win a title we need to be together, have forwards and that they be important forwards." When asked about the lone exit, Simeone set a limit: "I will not answer all of Julián’s questions. I understand the concern and we can talk about what happened in the match."

Context of the Barcelona Link

The case of Álvarez remains hot in Atlético. The club does not want to sell him to Barcelona, as it would strengthen a direct competitor in La Liga. CEO Miguel Ángel Marín has been explicit on several occasions about the Catalan club’s interest: "He is not for sale for 100, 150 or 200 million euros." Despite the refusal, the club has decided to include him in the squad for the next match against Osasuna on 16 September, with the intention that he passes the fans’ test and starts a new phase. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak also expressed his support: "Julián is with us in the team, as long as he is here we will support him. We want him in the best way, because we know what he can bring."