"Trivial": the Spanish federation sets Barcelona's punishment in the Álvarez case

Mundo Deportivo mocks the decision

The Royal Spanish Football Federation has punished Barcelona over the case that reignited tensions with Atlético Madrid, after Los Rojiblancos accused the Catalan club of approaching Julián Álvarez, one of their star men, without following the procedures set out in the transfer regulations.

The final verdict, though, landed far below the penalties floated at the start of the investigation, echoing a similar clash between the two clubs years earlier.

Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo revealed that Barcelona will face nothing more than what it called a trivial fine of 602 euros, bringing to a close the investigation the Royal Spanish Football Federation opened following Atlético Madrid's complaint over Julián Álvarez.

According to the newspaper, the decision rested on Article 133 of the Spanish federation's disciplinary code, covering breaches of organisational instructions, decisions and obligations. It allows for a fine of up to 602 euros for minor offences, plus other possible sanctions such as suspension, a ban from activity for a set period, or closing the stadium for a single match.

Late last July, the Spanish federation opened an exceptional disciplinary investigation into the case after Atlético Madrid lodged an official complaint.

Mundo Deportivo explained that FIFA did not take up the case, having no jurisdiction over a dispute between two clubs belonging to the same national federation.

Why did Atlético Madrid complain about Barcelona?

The roots of the affair trace back to Barcelona's interest in Argentine striker Julián Álvarez, tied to Atlético Madrid until June 2030 with a release clause worth 500 million euros, according to Spanish reports.

Atlético accused the Catalan club of making contact with the player and trying to lure him away despite his ongoing deal. Those contacts, they argued, took place during the contractual protection period, which restricts any negotiation with a player outside the rules governing such moves.

Backing their complaint, the Madrid club leaned on the Spanish competition regulations, which state that any club wishing to sign a professional player under a valid contract must notify his current club in writing before opening negotiations.

Last May, Atlético hit out at what they described as a campaign targeting Álvarez, pointing to leaks, statements and contacts they considered offensive. On 30 June, they lodged an official complaint with the Spanish federation and FIFA.

Barcelona, for their part, made no secret of their interest. President Joan Laporta spoke openly of coach Hansi Flick's desire to sign the forward, while Atlético stood firm and their officials insisted they would not sell even for the biggest offers.

The Griezmann case returns to the fore

This is no new precedent between the two clubs. The summer of 2019 brought a similar row, when Atlético Madrid complained about Barcelona over their negotiations with French striker Antoine Griezmann, who eventually joined the Catalans.

Barcelona escaped with a fine of just 300 euros that time, even though the investigation flagged breaches over starting negotiations without notifying Atlético first.

The federation also rejected the proposal to shut the Camp Nou for a single match.

The parallel between the two cases lays bare the gulf between the scale of the sporting dispute and the slap-on-the-wrist financial penalty that followed. On both occasions, Atlético went to the authorities to protest Barcelona's handling of a contracted player, yet the fine stayed tiny.