Atletico Responds to Laporta: We Are the Victims, Zero Chance of Selling Álvarez to Barcelona

Atletico Madrid wasted no time in responding to Barcelona president Joan Laporta regarding the ongoing saga surrounding their Argentine forward, Julián Álvarez.

After months of controversy and confusion, the situation has reached a critical point. Tensions escalated last Sunday with the angry reaction from Atlético fans during their match against Villarreal. Today, the pressure mounted again after the player reported he had missed training due to illness.

Meanwhile, Laporta announced today that Barcelona had at one point given up on pursuing a deal, but reactivated their interest after learning that Atlético was negotiating Álvarez's sale with other clubs. The player's desire is to move to Barcelona – a possibility Atlético has once again completely ruled out.

Speaking to "Marca," sources from the *Rojiblancos* firmly commented: "The player is being portrayed as a victim, but the only victim in the 'Julián' case is us."

"They have inflicted economic and social damage on us. The chance of selling him to Barça is 0%. This situation isn't about money; it's about dignity. There's a campaign full of lies and half-truths. The only one paying the price for this is Atlético," added sources from the Metropolitano.

The *Rojiblancos* emphasized that they are simply defending the club's interests. For this reason, the previously filed complaint against Barcelona will be updated to include all actions taken by both the Catalans and Álvarez's agent, Fernando Hidalgo, who has been pulling strings for months to facilitate the player's departure.