An evening Alvarez spent off the pitch
He didnt play. He heard every word anyway.
Diego Simeone had tried to head it off before Atletico hosted Malaga at the Metropolitano. No Julian Alvarez in the matchday squad. The thinking was simple enough: spare the Argentinian from a hostile reception after Barcelona spent much of the summer trying to pry him away.
It made no difference. The Atletico fans were on his back all night. “Son of a p…” and a few other choice insults besides.
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Cholos blunt response
Asked for his reaction, El Cholo did not jump in to defend his player. He did not go after the crowd either. Just one line, nothing more: “I have a lot of respect for our supporters”.
For a manager who usually spends plenty of time shielding his players in front of the cameras, the silence around Alvarez said plenty.
A deal Atletico never opened the door to
The background matters. Barca pushed hard for much of the summer to land the Argentina international. Atletico never entertained the idea of letting him go, and the Madrid hierarchy made it clear more than once there would be no talks.
On the pitch, Atletico won 2-0 with a goal from Kang-in Lee on his debut. No Alvarez, then. Before the window shuts, the Argentinian will have to make his peace with that crowd sooner or later.
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