Simeone refuses to withdraw Alvarez as Atletico striker faces renewed fan backlash

Julian Alvarez’s difficult relationship with Atletico de Madrid supporters took another turn for the worse after he missed two clear chances in the 2-1 defeat by Barcelona, prompting renewed jeers at the Metropolitano.

The Argentina international had been making progress towards rebuilding his standing with the club’s fans, but his performance against Barcelona erased much of that momentum in one night. According to Catalan newspaper Sport, the missed opportunities highlighted Alvarez’s lack of confidence and intensified the pressure surrounding him.

Diego Simeone nevertheless continued to back his striker. The Atletico de Madrid manager kept Alvarez on the pitch until the final whistle, despite his struggles and the reaction from the stands. Simeone may also have wanted to spare him the greater embarrassment of being booed as he left the field, underlining his continued faith in the forward.

Alvarez was not the only concern for Simeone, however. Atletico had been the stronger side in the first half but faded significantly after the interval, while Hansi Flick altered Barcelona’s approach with his tactical changes and substitutions to turn the match in his team’s favour.

Simeone’s own substitutions affected Atletico’s balance. He removed Pablo Barrios, Koke, Kang-in Lee and Baena, taking off several of the team’s most technically influential players as well as players who had been important in exploiting spaces and weaknesses in Barcelona’s formation.

Kang-in Lee had provided Atletico with an ability to read transitions and switch the direction of play, a particularly useful quality against a Barcelona side whose players tend to concentrate their attacks on one side of the pitch. Baena had also helped monitor Lamine Yamal, making the departure of both players significant to Atletico’s ability to contain Barcelona’s movement.

Simeone’s firm decision on Alvarez

Despite the criticism aimed at Alvarez, Simeone repeatedly encouraged him from the touchline and acknowledged his efforts during the match. He defended the striker again at his post-match news conference.

“We care about him a lot, and we need him. We need to see the best version of Julian, and we will work with him to achieve that,” Simeone said.

The manager’s determination to keep Alvarez on the pitch was also captured by the programme El Dia Despues, broadcast on Movistar Plus. The footage angered some Atletico supporters because it showed Simeone rejecting the possibility of substituting the forward after his missed chances and declining performance.

In the exchange, former Atletico captain Gabi, now one of Simeone’s assistants, asked: “Will Julian stay?”

Simeone responded firmly: “Julian is not coming off.”

The answer appeared to surprise Gabi, who looked taken aback by the manager’s insistence on retaining Alvarez while supporters were waiting for him to be withdrawn. Simeone’s decision has added to questions about his determination to protect the striker, with sections of the Atletico fanbase struggling to understand why he continues to show such faith despite Alvarez’s decline in form.