Atletico to Report Barcelona to FIFA: “Not the First Time They’ve Done This”

Atletico Madrid has officially announced its intention to report Barcelona to FIFA over their alleged pursuit of Julián Álvarez. The capital club accuses the champions of engaging in unauthorized discussions with the player, who remains under contract. Following Argentina's World Cup match against Austria, the forward publicly expressed his desire to leave.

“Barcelona shows us no respect and believes they can undermine us,” commented Atlético CEO Miguel Ángel Gil. “I am deeply saddened by Julián Álvarez’s words. It wasn't the right day for such statements. That day belonged to Messi and the Argentine national team, not just Julián. Last year, Barcelona did something very similar with Nico Williams and Athletic Bilbao.”

“Barcelona attempts to convince everyone that, as a club, they are capable of completing a deal for which they realistically lack the means to finalize. This isn't the first time Barcelona has acted this way, and the entire football world is well aware of it.”

“Julián has a dream, and we at Atlético also have dreams. It's true that he spoke with us, but it's also true that he knows our position perfectly because we were crystal clear: Atlético does not want to sell him. He is a fantastic player, and we are very proud to have him,” the Atlético chief added.

The Argentine international's release clause stands at €500 million. Recently, Real Madrid also expressed interest in signing the player, but their €150 million offer was rejected.