Atletico Director: Laporta is staging his own circus, Julián is poorly advised

In an interview with the club's television channel, Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín not only unequivocally dismissed the potential sale of Argentine international Julián Álvarez to Barcelona but also criticized Catalan president Joan Laporta for deliberately creating a spectacle for fans and media. He further expressed confidence that the forward would continue to play for the "Rojiblancos" with the same professionalism as before.

“I know Joan well enough to believe he constantly puts on his own show for the media and fans, so I'm not offended. I have a good personal relationship with him. I've spoken to him and told him: 'Please, just stop. We don't want to sell him, and we won't. Stop pushing.' However, he keeps this situation alive because, in part, he enjoys it. He's frivolous and likes to maintain these relationships with fans and the media, but he knows perfectly well that Julián won't be playing for Barcelona next season. Despite this, he continues to play this game with the fans and the media, and worst of all, with Julián himself.

The truth is, we know Julián. We've worked with him for the past two seasons, and we have absolutely no doubt about his character or professionalism. Álvarez has been poorly advised since the season ended. In a way, this makes me believe that his performances and attitude will remain the same as they always have been: those of a very good player, person, and professional. I think for both the footballer and the fans, it's very simple. Everything depends on the player's attitude and, of course, his performance. Ultimately, Atletico Madrid knows exactly what it wants, which is committed footballers and players who consistently perform at a high level on the pitch. That's why I believe the dream of every Atletico Madrid fan, including mine, is to watch Julián score goals and win trophies with the team. I think that's exactly what will happen,” stated Gil Marín.