Atlético Madrid and Barcelona have entered a new stage of tension over the Julián Alvarez saga, with strong comments emerging from within the Madrid club revealing the level of frustration over Barcelona’s approach to the Argentine forward.
The situation is no longer viewed simply as a transfer that failed to materialize. Inside Atlético, it has become an issue of principle, with the club deeply unhappy with the way Barcelona handled its interest in Alvarez throughout the summer.
According to comments attributed to people inside Atlético Madrid, the club described what happened as “a very dirty attack from all sides”, while strongly criticizing Barcelona’s conduct during the saga.
The statement reportedly said: “Barcelona acted shamefully from beginning to end. They always knew they would achieve nothing this way, but despite knowing it and privately acknowledging it, they chose to continue misleading their fans, their coach and their own team until the final day.”
Atlético also stressed that Julián Alvarez himself suffered considerably throughout the situation, arguing that the saga was fueled by what the club described as false information and bad intentions.
Atlético explains its transfer policy
The Madrid club also explained how it normally deals with an unhappy player.
According to Atlético’s position, the first step is to assess the situation and attempt to bring the two sides closer together rather than immediately forcing a transfer.
If the player ultimately prefers to explore other options for his career, Atlético’s approach is to establish a market value and demand full transparency in negotiations from both the interested club and the player’s representatives.
If either side refuses to follow that approach, Atlético immediately ends discussions.
“A very dirty attack from all sides.”
This policy helps explain why the relationship with Barcelona deteriorated so sharply. Atlético has publicly maintained that it will not negotiate with Barcelona over Alvarez, insisting that any transfer discussions must be conducted ethically, professionally and with respect between clubs.
According to the Atlético version of events, the problem was not simply Barcelona’s desire to sign Alvarez, but the way the Catalan club allegedly pursued the player.
Atlético claims that Barcelona moved behind the club’s back and approached the player before direct clashes between the two sides last season. The Madrid club also accused Barcelona of using media messages it considered misleading.
From Atlético’s perspective, these actions were completely inconsistent with the way the club believes transfer negotiations should be conducted.
That is precisely why Atlético never seriously considered reaching an agreement with Barcelona for Julián Alvarez.
The Alvarez saga has therefore developed into a serious trust dispute between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, with the conflict now extending far beyond the player’s price or desire to move.