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Julian Alvarez booed by Atletico Madrid fans amid Arsenal, Barcelona links
24th August, 2026 01:31 AM
Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez was booed by his own fans amid speculation about his future as his side drew with Villarreal in La Liga.
Alvarez said during the World Cup that he wants to leave Atletico to “fulfil my dream”, and has since been linked with moves to Arsenal and Barcelona ahead of transfer deadline day on 1 September.
He started on the bench against Villarreal but was jeered while warming up, and there were even louder boos when he came on in the 66th minute.
After Giuliano Simeone struck late on to rescue a point for Atletico, Alvarez headed straight down the tunnel at full time, drawing more boos.
Boss Diego Simeone suggested afterwards, however, that it was a pre-agreed club decision for the forward not to join his teammates at full time and head to the dressing room instead.
Marc Pubill had given Atletico the lead just before the hour mark when he curled in a fine strike, but Gerard Moreno levelled soon after from the penalty spot.
It looked like Atletico were heading for defeat when Robin Le Normand was sent off in the 76th minute for a foul on Georges Mikautadze inside the box, and the Georgian forward stepped up to convert the penalty.
But with five minutes to go, Atletico ended with Simeone sliding a neat finish home.
The draw means Atletico have won one and drawn one of their first two La Liga games of the season, while Villarreal have drawn both of their matches.
Transfer uncertainty
Alvarez’s situation has added another layer of tension around Atletico as the transfer window approaches its September 1 deadline.
The Argentina international has been linked with Arsenal and Barcelona, with both clubs reportedly monitoring his situation as they assess their attacking options.
Alvarez has established himself as one of Atletico’s key attacking players since joining the Spanish side, making the reaction from supporters particularly notable.
The 26-year-old has previously spoken about his desire to leave the club and pursue what he described as a dream, leaving his future increasingly uncertain.
Atletico will now have to decide whether to keep the forward beyond the transfer deadline or consider offers for a player who remains an important part of their squad.
