Atlético Madrid rule out Álvarez: a step towards Barcelona?
Diego Simeone has left Argentine star Julian Alvarez out of his Atletico Madrid squad for Saturday's friendly against Olympique Marseille, delaying the forward's first appearance of the new season with Los Rojiblancos. Uncertainty hangs over his future, fuelled by his desire to join Barcelona.
According to Catalan newspaper "Sport", Alvarez's omission came as no surprise. He has managed only five days of physical training with the team during pre-season. The picture goes beyond fitness, though. During a meeting last Wednesday, he told Simeone he no longer feels enough enthusiasm to stay at Atletico.
Alvarez insists on leaving and requests an urgent meeting
The striker wants Barcelona, according to the report. His camp has requested an urgent meeting with Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin to thrash out his future.
Gil Marin has been away from the Spanish capital on holiday in recent days. That absence pushed back the anticipated meeting, while talk of the Argentine's exit only grows louder.
Simeone wants to keep his star
Almost the entire squad made the list, with the injured Alexander Sorloth the exception. The international players who joined preparations this week were also left out: Alex Baena, Marcos Llorente, goalkeeper Musso and Alvarez.
All four were expected to miss the trip to Marseille. Yet the squad carried extra weight because of Alvarez, with every sign pointing to a man who does not want to pull on the Atletico shirt again.
Simeone is digging in. He views his Argentine striker as one of the pillars of his attacking project. The player's final decision may prove more tangled, though, given the mental toll the situation is taking on him.
The Malaga match may reveal his final position
Attention now turns to next week. Atletico open their La Liga campaign at home to Malaga on 19 August.
In theory, the international players should slot back into Simeone's plans for that match once they have had enough time to prepare, which makes Alvarez's involvement a major talking point.
Their second league fixture, also at home, pits them against Villarreal. There, the fans' reaction to the Argentine striker could shape how the crisis unfolds.
Will the Joao Felix story repeat itself?
Club officials are watching the supporters closely. A hostile welcome for Alvarez could tip events towards a far messier scenario.
All of this echoes what happened with Portugal's Joao Felix. Atletico fans turned on him over his desire to leave, and the saga ended with his exit.
