Atlético Madrid Accuses Barcelona of Smear Campaign Over Julián Álvarez

Atlético Madrid has accused Barcelona of conducting a smear campaign and spreading fake news regarding attempts to sign forward Julián Álvarez. The dispute follows reports of an imminent bid from the Catalan club for the Argentine striker.

According to reporting from Sky Sports, Atlético Madrid insists that the 26-year-old Álvarez is not for sale. The club has placed a valuation on the player as high as £130 million.

The Madrid-based club responded to social media speculation about a Barcelona bid by posting parody images on X. These posts featured Barcelona stars Pedri, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal wearing Atlético shirts.

The social media posts also included joke bids for the Barcelona players. The offer for Lamine Yamal specifically included a bag of sunflower seeds, an annual subscription, and tickets to a Bad Bunny concert.

This public friction occurs as Barcelona remains active in the transfer market. On May 29, 2026, Barcelona completed the signing of Antony Gordon in a deal worth £69 million.

The conflict between the two La Liga sides precedes the official opening of the summer transfer window, which begins on June 15 and is scheduled to close on September 1.

Atlético Madrid, currently managed by head coach Diego Simeone, plays its home matches at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, which has a capacity of 70,692.