Transfer target Julian Alvarez booed by fans in Atletico Madrid win

By AFP and Reuters. Published On 24 Aug 202624 Aug 2026.

Key points

• The hosts appeared ready to collapse after Robin Le Normand was sent off in the 76th minute for bringing down Georges Mikautadze.
• Alvarez, still finding fitness after his post-World Cup holiday, was not involved in Atletico's opening victory over Malaga on Wednesday.
• According to Atletico manager Diego Simeone, alvarez had been advised by the club to leave the pitch after the match.
• A day earlier, Simeone confirmed that Alvarez would return to the squad despite reports linking him to English champions Arsenal.
• The match had been simmering with tension long before the late drama, with Atletico supporters turning their frustration on Alvarez.

Giuliano Simeone delivered a family rescue act in the dying moments, earning Atletico Madrid a dramatic 2-2 draw with Villarreal after his father Diego's side had been reduced to 10 men on a scorching afternoon of fan anger towards European transfer target Julian Alvarez.

For context, the hosts appeared ready to collapse after Robin Le Normand was sent off in the 76th minute for bringing down Georges Mikautadze. This person converted the resulting penalty to put Villarreal ahead in the Spanish league on Sunday.

But Atletico discovered one last burst on the counterattack as Alex Baena issued Giuliano down the right and the manager's son kept his cool, sliding a delicate finish beyond goalkeeper Luiz Junior.

Notably, the match had been simmering with tension long before the late drama, with Atletico supporters turning their frustration on Alvarez.

Notably, the striker was booed while warming up, jeered again when his name was confirmed among the substitutes, and met with louder whistles when he came on in the 66th minute.

For context, a section of the crowd chanted: "Let him leave once and for all, let him leave" after Alvarez had made public at the World Cup that he had spoken to the club concerning a feasible transfer to "fulfil my dream", with Barcelona heavily linked in Spanish media reports.

In practice, 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 club decided he should not go near the stands or the fans, " the Argentinian remarked in a news conference.

"It was the club's decision to keep him away and separate him, so he could go to the locker room."

Asked what advice he would offer the under-fire Alvarez, Simeone responded: "I'm not here to give advice."

"I have to focus on my job. It is to offer my best for Atletico Madrid. If we want to win a title, we need to stick together, have forwards, and have key forwards. We all need to work accordingly on what we need."

In practice, a day earlier, Simeone confirmed that Alvarez would return to the squad despite reports linking him to English champions Arsenal.

"Yes, he's going to be included in the squad list tomorrow, and he's doing better, " Simeone remarked to journalists on Saturday. "Obviously, he's still getting up to speed, like all his teammates."

Simeone remarked the fans should be respected when asked concerning it previously, but reiterated that he still views Alvarez as a key player and does not agree with the criticism himself.

"Obviously, I don't share in any insults or slights. Let that be absolutely clear, " remarked the coach.

Julian is a hugely significant player for achieving the goals we have as a team. We need him, we're going to look after him.

"That's from a sporting standpoint, and we're going to stand by him. Why? Since he's our player, and as long as there are players at Atletico Madrid who are mine, I'm going to look after them."

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, asked repeatedly on Saturday regarding whether the Spanish champions had given up their pursuit of Alvarez, stated he would not speak regarding players from other clubs.

Taken together, the developments around transfer target Julian Alvarez booed by fans in Atletico Madrid win point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.