Alvarez left out of Atletico squad with Barcelona move in focus

Julian Alvarez has been omitted from Atletico Madrid’s squad for Saturday’s friendly against Olympique de Marseille, delaying his first appearance for the club this season as uncertainty grows over his future and reported interest from Barcelona.

The decision was expected after the Argentina forward had completed only five days of physical training with Atletico during pre-season. However, according to Catalan newspaper Sport, his absence is not solely related to his fitness.

The report says Alvarez told Atletico manager Diego Simeone during a meeting on Wednesday that he did not feel sufficiently motivated to continue with the Madrid club. Alvarez is understood to want a move to Barcelona, while the player and his representatives have requested an urgent meeting with Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin to discuss his situation.

Gil Marin has been away from the Spanish capital on holiday in recent days, meaning the proposed meeting has been delayed. That has added to speculation that Alvarez could leave Atletico before the new campaign develops further.

Atletico’s squad for the trip to Marseille includes almost all of the first-team players. The exceptions are injured striker Alexander Sørloth and the internationals who only returned to training this week: Alex Baena, Marcos Llorente, goalkeeper Juan Musso and Alvarez.

The absence of those four internationals had been anticipated. Even so, Alvarez’s omission has attracted particular attention because the latest indications suggest he does not want to wear an Atletico shirt again.

Simeone remains keen for the Argentina international to stay. The manager considers Alvarez one of the central pieces of his attacking plans, but the player’s eventual decision could prove difficult to resolve, particularly because he is reportedly struggling mentally with his current circumstances.

The focus will now turn to next week, when Atletico begin their La Liga campaign at home against Malaga on 19 August. In theory, the club’s returning internationals should be available for selection by then, having had additional time to prepare.

That makes Alvarez’s involvement in the opening league match one of the main issues to watch. Atletico’s second league fixture will also be played at home, against Villarreal, and the reaction of the supporters could influence how the dispute develops.

Club officials are also monitoring the mood among Atletico fans. A strongly negative reception for Alvarez could push the situation towards a more complicated outcome.

The current uncertainty has echoes of the events involving Joao Felix. Atletico supporters turned against the Portugal forward after he expressed a desire to leave, and he ultimately departed the club.

For now, Simeone’s position is that Alvarez remains an important part of his project. But with the requested meeting with Gil Marin still to take place and Barcelona reportedly his preferred destination, the player’s omission from the Marseille match has intensified questions over whether his Atletico career is nearing its end.