Julian Alvarez's start to the season has been overshadowed by lingering tension between the Argentine forward and Atletico Madrid's supporters, following a turbulent summer in which the striker was reportedly linked with a move away from the club, with Barcelona said to be interested.
Despite the unrest, manager Diego Simeone has repeatedly voiced his backing for Alvarez. Back in August, the Argentine coach described him as "one of the players, or the best player, we have offensively," adding that he wanted to "build a team around him" due to his "power, quality, hierarchy and talent."
That public support has not translated into warmth from the stands. Alvarez sat out Atletico's season opener against Malaga, with Simeone citing a need for further training time after his late return for pre-season. His comeback appearance against Villarreal turned into an awkward occasion, as he was jeered by home supporters when his name was read out, during the warm-up, and again upon entering as a substitute. After the final whistle, while the rest of the squad remained on the pitch to applaud fans, Alvarez headed straight down the tunnel alone — a move Simeone clarified was directed by the club rather than the player himself. "The decision was not Julian Alvarez's; it was the club's decision to separate him and send him to the dressing room," the coach explained.
The forward's difficulties continued when he missed three straight training sessions due to illness, ruling him out of Atletico's away trip to Sevilla. Simeone again stood by him, promising the club would "do everything possible" to make him feel valued upon his return, calling him "an extraordinary player." Alvarez has since returned to full training, making him available for selection once more.
Atletico showed they could manage without their record signing during his absence, as Alex Baena filled in as a false nine and scored twice in a 3-1 win over Sevilla — a result that underlined the squad's depth even without Alvarez, though few doubt his unique qualities as a focal point in attack.
With a stretch of away fixtures coming up, Simeone appears set to ease Alvarez back into the side gradually, shielding him from the scrutiny of the Metropolitano's 70,000 fans for now. The situation has drawn attention beyond Atletico's own dressing room — Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho weighed in, saying, "There's no other manager that knows him better and knows the club better than Simeone," while also noting that unresolved player unhappiness beyond the transfer deadline typically results in reduced game time until the next window opens.
For many supporters, the frustration runs deeper than results on the pitch. One fan, Dani, said it was reasonable for the club to reject any deal with Barcelona, insisting that Atletico