Diego Simeone has called for unity around Julian Alvarez after the Atletico Madrid striker was booed by his own fans on Sunday, following his public admission that he dreams of joining Barcelona. The Argentina international's stance has put him at odds with the club, who refuse to sell him to their La Liga rivals, while Arsenal have asked to be kept informed of the 26-year-old's situation.
Fans turn on Alvarez after Barcelona revelation
Alvarez was jeered by the home supporters during the match at the Metropolitano Stadium, where the atmosphere was tense long before Simeone's side snatched a late equaliser. The centre forward was abused while warming up, booed again when his name was announced among the substitutes, and met with louder whistles when he came on in the 66th minute. A section of the crowd chanted: 'Let him leave once and for all, let him leave'.
The hostility followed him beyond the final whistle as he headed straight to the changing room while teammates saluted the fans, drawing another heavy round of boos. The former Manchester City forward had previously indicated he had little desire to return to the Premier League, but the reception he received appears to have softened his stance.
Simeone and teammates rally around striker
Despite his position appearing untenable, Simeone issued a message of support after the game, insisting he has a duty of care to a player who has scored 49 goals in his two seasons with the club. He said: 'To win titles you need a strike. We're competing with the players we have. Until today, I was telling the players before going out onto the pitch that as long as they're on the team, I'm fully committed to them.'
'We need strikers, good strikers. We have him, and we have to take care of him. I think we all need to be united. Julian is with us on the team, and as long as he's here, we're going to support him. We want the best for him because we know what he can contribute. It's an uncomfortable situation for everyone, but hopefully it will be resolved and we'll all be happy at the end of the season.'
Arsenal monitoring situation as window closes
Arsenal, who want to add a star name to their forward line before the window closes, have asked to be kept informed of Alvarez's situation. The Gunners have been linked with a move for the striker, who has also been the subject of transfer speculation involving other Premier League clubs.
Teammate Grimaldo, who made his first start in LaLiga on Sunday, added: 'I see him doing well. He's an incredible striker, it's a pleasure to play with him. You can see the quality he has, he's a game-changer. Julian is a great teammate. He's a fantastic player. We're with him and we have to support him, and as long as he's on our team, we're going to fight for him until the very end. First of all, we're always stronger together. That's always been what has defined Atletico, making them different from the rest. He's one of our players, so we're going to give our all for him on the pitch and fight together. We all have to be pulling in the same direction, because otherwise, we'll be divided, and that's not good.'
The situation remains unresolved, with Atletico adamant that Alvarez will not be permitted to join Barcelona, while Arsenal await further developments. The club and player will hope for a resolution that allows all parties to move forward positively as the season progresses.
