Atletico Madrid make a big move after Julian Alvarez’s tough welcome from their fans
Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez looked really down after getting a tough reaction from his own fans because of transfer rumors.
Alvarez came on as a substitute in Atletico’s 2-2 draw with Villarreal at the Metropolitano Stadium, entering the game in the 66th minute. But with lots of talk about his possible move and reports that he wants to leave, Atleti supporters weren’t kind to him.
When his name was announced, loud whistles filled the stadium. Video showed Alvarez sitting on the bench, clearly upset. On social media, one fan said he looked “mentally destroyed” and not in the right headspace to play.
The fans reacted the same way when he came on, replacing Marc Pubill. After the game, Alvarez stayed on the pitch for a moment, but the boos made him head straight to the tunnel. While all the other Atletico players went to thank the crowd, the Argentina international was left alone, walking back to the locker room.
An Atletico scarf was even thrown toward him, but he didn’t react.
At the post-match press conference, coach Diego Simeone said the club asked Alvarez not to greet the fans to avoid the situation getting worse. A video showed a club staff member helping Alvarez leave the squad quietly.
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak talked about the tricky situation and hoped it would get better. He said, “I think we all need to stay united. Julian Alvarez is with us, and as long as he’s here, we’ll support him. It’s not easy for anyone, but hopefully, it will be sorted and we can stay together for the season.”
Alvarez has been linked with Arsenal and has said he wants to leave Atletico, with Barcelona also interested. But the club doesn’t want to sell him to a rival.
Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin is clear the club wants Alvarez to stay and took a swipe at those advising the player. He said, “Atletico Madrid, like all great clubs, is built with great players, and Julian is definitely one of them, as well as a true professional. We will support him and help him reach his full potential because we need him to compete with the best in Europe. Unfortunately, Julian hasn’t had the best advice lately about his career.”
Marin added, “We won’t let other clubs or their media tell us what to do or disrespect us. They’re trying to divide us, but we may not be as powerful as them, we have strong values. Atletico fans won’t let that happen. We’re strongest when we stand together.”
Alvarez joined Atletico in 2024 and has scored 49 goals in 107 games so far.