“We won’t leave him stranded.” The FC Barcelona directors followed with logical interest Julián Álvarez’s first match with Atlético de Madrid at the Metropolitano after his now famous statements during the World Cup (“I want to fulfill my dream”) and their conclusions recognize the position of the Argentine footballer. The center forward fulfilled his obligations with his current team (he has a contract signed with Atlético until 2030), but he openly showed his discomfort. His body language on the bench, when he came on to play in the second half, as well as when the match ended (walking alone towards the tunnel while his teammates were at the other end of the stadium greeting the fans) needed no translation. Nor did the insults directed at him by Atlético fans, which included a wide repertoire: there were choral ones (“tell him to leave once and for all”), individual ones (“plenty to go around”) and geopolitical ones (“damn Catalonia and damn Barça”) that will have to be seen if they are punished by the Anti-Violence Commission.
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The tension between the footballer and the Atlético club, far from easing, has increased after the weekend and Barça, given what has happened, considers that it cannot withdraw from the bidding (it sent Atlético an offer of 100 million euros weeks ago) until the market closes on September 1 out of respect for the player.
In fact, sources from the blaugrana club emphasize that, after what happened in Atlético-Villarreal, they will extend the deadline they had set for themselves (yesterday Monday) because the situation has changed. They consider that Atlético has a problem to solve. Not only is their franchise player sulking, but the fan base currently hates him. The coexistence between the parties has become a mess. An alternative exit for the rojiblanco club would be to sell him to Arsenal, a destination that would not upset the Metropolitano crowd as much, but Julián Álvarez repeats over and over that where he wants to go is Barça. The blaugrana club will continue as it has so far, attentive to everything that happens in case the mess unravels in their favor.
“We won’t leave him stranded,” they say at Barça, aware that Atlético has a problem to solve
If that does not happen (the most likely scenario today), it cannot be ruled out that the saga will repeat itself in January. The coming months could be key depending on how the rift between the player and his club evolves, already publicly verbalized by Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, general director, and Fernando Hidalgo, the forward’s agent, with an exchange of statements, the first through the EFE agency and the second via social media. Different weapons but a collision nonetheless. Will the positions get closer over time? Will they worsen? Will the spider’s anger subside?
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While waiting for the answers to those questions, Barça is experiencing a phase of institutional and sporting calm. The debut of Flick’s team (0-5 at Elche) supports and reinforces the idea of going without rush, if there was any, and allows strengthening plan B. Since it is impossible to find someone with Julián Álvarez’s profile in the market (comparable but different players, like Harry Kane or Lautaro, are not available), the intention is to sign a number nine with a lower profile. Nicolò Tresoldi, a German forward from Club Brugge who has started the Belgian league on fire with four goals in four matches, is still being talked about, but the next few days will be decisive. The market closes on Tuesday, September 1.
Until that day, the number nine issue is not the only one left to solve at Barcelona. Alejandro Balde must decide which path to take after the harsh messages from Hansi Flick over the weekend. Whether he feels capable of reversing the situation or opts to accept one of the offers shown to him by his agent Jorge Mendes, including one from Manchester United.
Flick’s team is strong but the ‘9’ remains a target now or, why not, in January
In similar circumstances is Marc Casadó, who has known he was discarded for weeks, while other players like Héctor Fort, loaned last season to Elche, are on the way out as were the midfielder Tommy Marqués and the fullback Jofre Torrents, now players of Sporting Braga and Ajax, respectively.
