Julian Alvarez told to leave Atletico Madrid fans after Villarreal draw

Julian Alvarez was ordered to return to the dressing room rather than join his Atletico Madrid team-mates in front of the supporters after a hostile reaction during the 2-2 draw with Villarreal.

The Argentina forward left the Metropolitano alone at the end of the match, creating one of the most striking images of the season so far. While the rest of Atletico’s players acknowledged the home crowd and thanked them for their support, Alvarez walked away sadly towards the tunnel.

According to Marca, Atletico Madrid took the decision in an attempt to prevent a further unpleasant incident. After the team had greeted Villarreal’s players, Alvarez was reportedly told to go inside and stay away from the area while his team-mates addressed the supporters in the stands.

The instruction brought an unhappy evening to an end for Alvarez, who was subjected to loud jeers before, during and after the game. The reaction followed reports of his desire to leave Atletico Madrid for Barcelona.

Alvarez’s return to the Metropolitano was met with an immediate response from the crowd. His name was booed loudly when it was announced over the stadium public-address system. The same reaction greeted him when he went out to warm up.

He was then introduced by Diego Simeone in the 67th minute, with Atletico attempting to recover after Gerard Moreno had equalised for Villarreal. Alvarez’s appearance was also met with further whistles from the stands.

The match finished 2-2 against Villarreal, known as the Yellow Submarine, but the result was overshadowed by the treatment of Atletico’s forward and the decision to keep him away from the supporters at full-time.

Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak called for unity within the squad and said Alvarez would continue to receive the team’s backing while he remained at the club.

“I think we all need to stick together. Julian is with us in the team, and as long as he is here, we will support him. We wish him all the best because we know what he can offer. It is an uncomfortable situation for everyone, but hopefully it will be resolved and we will all be happy at the end of the season,” said Oblak.

Alvarez’s solitary departure meant he did not take part in the team’s usual post-match acknowledgement of the fans. The episode followed a night in which the Argentina international was repeatedly targeted by supporters over the possibility of a move to Barcelona.

The issue has prompted deeper discussion among football followers, with the subject and related news also being discussed in the Kooora forums.