Simeone Reaffirms Atletico's Stance on Alvarez, Includes Him in Squad

Julian Alvarez, who has expressed a desire to leave Atletico Madrid, will remain with the club for now and is even included in the squad for Sunday's La Liga clash against Villarreal. The Argentine forward is reportedly upset about not being allowed to join Barcelona. While he has already drawn the ire of fans, coach Diego Simeone has made it clear he intends to rely on him.

Naturally, Alvarez's name was the first topic addressed to Cholo during his media briefing today. Simeone commented on the atmosphere surrounding the Argentine, also touching upon the insults directed at the player after the match between Atletico and Malaga.

"First, I want to finish the sentence I started at the last press conference – I respect our fans, but I do not condone insults or attacks. Let that be clear. Every word that everyone expects aims to create conflict and uncertainty. There is no such thing. I continue to follow the same line – he is extremely important, we need him, we will take care of him from a sporting perspective. Julian is our player, and as long as he is with our team, we will protect him."

"Alvarez is training in the best possible way, with respect for his teammates, and I have no doubt about the path we have decided to take with the club. Tomorrow, he will be in the squad for the match. We will try to approach a difficult game, understanding that the opponent is strong, with good players. We are in the process of managing playing minutes, while our opponents have already accumulated them," Simeone added.