Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez sparked internal friction at the Metropolitano this summer by publicly declaring his desire to leave for Barcelona, a move that frustrated his teammates and led the club to criticize the Catalan side’s approach.
The public declaration made by Alvarez regarding his desire to leave Atletico Madrid created tension within the squad during the summer. The situation escalated to the point that Atletico reported Barcelona to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for making an illegal approach for the 26-year-old.
Teammate Frustration
Atletico midfielder Alex Baena recently addressed the tension, noting that while players often experience uncertainty when approached by major clubs, the manner in which the striker handled the situation was unacceptable to the dressing room. Rasanya agak aneh ketika seorang rekan setim secara terbuka menyatakan ingin hengkang.
Hal itu tidak bisa kami terima dengan baik,
Baena stated in an interview with Cadena SER, as noted by Reuters.
Baena noted that while he understands the appeal of clubs like Barcelona or Real Madrid, the public nature of the comments caused unnecessary internal strain.
Despite the tension caused by the transfer saga, Baena emphasized that the squad remains committed to supporting Alvarez as he continues his tenure at the club, stating, Kami akan tetap mendukungnya, apa pun keputusan yang ia ambil.
Hal terpenting adalah saat ini ia bersama kami, dan kami perlu menunjukkan kasih sayang sepenuhnya kepadanya.
Gil Marin Criticizes Barcelona Before Leaders Meet in Copenhagen
Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin publicly criticized Barcelona, accusing the club of lacking transparency and ethical conduct during negotiations for Julian Alvarez.
The conflict eventually cooled after Barcelona shifted their recruitment focus to other targets, ultimately opting to sign former Arsenal player Gabriel Jesus to reinforce their attack. The path to resolution began when Joan Laporta and Gil Marin interacted during the European Football Clubs (EFC) Assembly in Copenhagen.
Following a meeting in Copenhagen, Barcelona President Joan Laporta confirmed that he and the Atletico leadership had successfully moved past the dispute. Kami bertemu dan berpelukan.
Saya yakin sudah meluruskan segalanya,
said Laporta, as reported by Demokratis.
Laporta added, Dia pria luar biasa, dan saya sangat nyaman bersamanya.
The two clubs scheduled a match at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano for Sunday, November 8, 2026, with Laporta leading a delegation to the stadium and both boards holding a joint lunch to symbolize the reconciliation.
While Alvarez has since returned to the pitch, scoring goals and issuing an apology to the fans in October, coach Diego Simeone noted in a Sunday press conference, Ia pemain hebat dan kami menyayanginya.
