Atletico threatens Barcelona with complaint to FIFA over transfer saga with Julián Alvarez

The CEO of Atletico Madrid, Miguel Angel Jil Marin, reacted sharply to the public confession of striker Julián Alvarez about his desire to leave the club. The leadership of the mattress players categorically rejects the possibility of a transfer this summer and is preparing an official complaint to FIFA against Barcelona, ​​accusing it of illegal pursuit of the player. 26-year-old Alvarez sounded on Monday after the World Cup. The forward said that he has already discussed with the management of Atlético his intention to change the club before the start of the next season: "I try to be an honest person... I think the best thing for everyone is a transfer. I want to make my dream come true." Miguel Angel Gil Marin criticized both the timing of the player's statement and the actions of Barcelona, ​​which Madrid consider the main initiator of these events. According to him, Alvarez is well aware of the club's position: the player is not for sale. The behavior of the blaugranas caused special indignation in the general director. "Barca do not respect us. They think they can ignore us, that we are weak and stupid... They are lying to us, the player, the media and even their own fans, convincing everyone of a deal they are not really capable of." Hil Marin recalled that last year the Catalans followed a similar scheme for Nico Williams and Athletic. The club will lodge a complaint with FIFA for negotiating with the player, who is under contract until 2030, during the protected period. Sources in Barca claim that Atletico have known about their interest for a long time thanks to private conversations. Barcelona see Alvarez as an ideal replacement for Robert Lewandowski, who left the team as a free agent. However, the fight for the star Argentine promises to be extremely difficult. Since his move to Atlético from Manchester City in 2024 (for a fee of up to €95m), Alvarez has been a key player for the team, scoring 49 goals in 106 appearances in all competitions (including 10 in the last Champions League campaign). The forward is currently continuing his performance at the World Cup, where he came on as a substitute in Argentina's Group J victories against Algeria and Austria. However, his club future after the tournament remains in question.