Alvarez sticks to Atletico schedule while Barcelona ambition awaits key talks

Julian Alvarez has continued following Atletico de Madrid’s return plan after reporting for his second day of training, with a much-anticipated meeting with Diego Simeone expected to play an important role in discussions over his future.

The Argentina striker joined Atletico on Monday after completing his post-World Cup 2026 holiday. He arrived at the Cerro del Espino training complex in Majadahonda at 11:30 BST on Tuesday and completed an individual session with fitness coach Luis Pinedo.

The programme was designed for Alvarez and the other players who took part in the World Cup final in the United States. The session began with a range of exercises on the training pitch before the forward and Pinedo moved inside to continue their work in the gym.

Alvarez trained alone, as did the other members of the Argentina squad who did not travel to South Korea for Atletico’s match against Manchester City on Sunday.

Before Alvarez arrived, Marc Pubill, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marcos Llorente, Alex Baena, Alexander Sørloth and Juan Musso had already trained at Majadahonda.

The rest of Atletico’s squad have been given several days off following the trip to South Korea. They are expected to return and join their team-mates on Wednesday.

The next significant moment for Alvarez is expected to be his first meeting with Simeone since returning from holiday. The striker is hoping for a long conversation with the Atletico manager, as well as the opportunity to meet members of the squad who were involved at the World Cup and whom he has not seen in recent days.

That meeting is also expected to include a discussion about Alvarez’s possible future away from Atletico. The club are not currently considering a departure for the forward, however, while Simeone has already indicated that he expects to rely on him during the season, which begins at home against Malaga on 19 August.

Speaking at a news conference in Seoul, the Atletico manager said: “The situation is completely clear, the club made a decision which Miguel Angel (the chief executive) explained very well. From a sporting point of view, we are very happy to have a player like Julian, and we will certainly help him to continue growing and developing, and continue giving his best as he has done over the past two years, which was a lot.”

Alvarez has respected Atletico’s schedule since returning from his break, but he is waiting for what he regards as the key meeting of this period with Simeone. His aim is to secure approval to pursue his dream of moving to Barcelona.