Atletico Madrid reacted strongly to JoanLaporta’s announcement that Barcelona’s offer to sign Julian Alvarez will continue, stressing that the Argentine striker’s transfer to the Catalan club is impossible, no matter what the value of the deal is.
Marca quoted sources within Atletico as saying: “There is no chance of selling him to Barcelona. It’s not about money, it’s about dignity,” in a direct message that blocks Laporta’s talk about Barcelona’s readiness to complete the deal until the end of the Mercato.
“There is a campaign full of lies and half-truths, and Atletico Madrid is the only one paying for it,” the sources added, considering that the pressures surrounding the deal have inflicted financial, sporting and social damage on the club and affected its reputation.
Atletico insists his position is no longer negotiable, and that he will not sit down with Barcelona to discuss any financial compensation: “The player may be wronged, but we are the only victims. As far as dignity is concerned, there is no chance of him moving to Barcelona.”
On a sensitive health aspect, Marca stated that the club is dealing with indicators related to anxiety, psychological stress and depression, so it has put its medical services at the disposal of Alvarez.
The Argentina international missed training on Wednesday after communicating with the medical staff and informing them that he was not feeling well and did not feel able to attend, while Atletico officially announced that his absence was due to a “health ailment”, with communication continuing to follow up on his condition.
The club is preparing to add evidence and repercussions of the pressure on the player to its two complaints against Barcelona before the International Football Federation and the Spanish Federation, accusing the Catalan club’s management and Alvarez’s surroundings of negatively affecting his condition and performance.
