He turns the page on Barcelona: Alvarez begins a new chapter with the help of three stars
Will he reclaim his place?
Julián Álvarez is now fully focused on Atlético Madrid. Convinced over the past few days that his dream of a move to Barcelona has become impossible, he closes the chapter on a transfer window that shuts within hours and begins a new phase with the Madrid side.
According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, the player ruled out a switch to the Premier League, reluctant to return to England, and has already set about changing his situation within Atlético. He found significant support from teammates Giuliano Simeone, Cristian "Cuti" Romero and Juan Musso, and showed glimpses of his quality in training despite being among the substitutes.
Álvarez entered the training pitch alongside his Argentina national team teammates, with Simeone and Romero keen to back him from the start of the session. The Argentine striker began outside the starting eleven, which was identical to the lineup that faced Sevilla in the last match.
He responded on the grass. Álvarez showed he can quickly reclaim his place, earning praise from the technical staff after a standout moment at the end of the training match. One of the coaches shouted: "Well done, Juli!"
He wrapped up the session running alongside Romero, part of a physical programme designed to get them both to peak readiness as quickly as possible.
The main objective for the technical staff and the player, Marca confirmed, is to end the controversy around him fast and make his performances the focus of attention rather than his future.
Illness kept Álvarez out of Atlético's squad for the last match against Sevilla, though the current plan calls for his return next Friday, ahead of Saturday's La Liga clash with Athletic Bilbao.
Elsewhere, the newspaper noted that José María Giménez and Thomas Lemar trained inside the gym as Atlético seek a way out for them on the final day of the transfer window. Their high salaries remain a major obstacle to any departure. Carlos Martín and Obed Vargas also took part in the group session, with the club still working to settle their loan destinations.
