Atletico Madrid president accuses Barcelona of unprofessional conduct in Alvarez transfer saga

Published Aug 23, 03:35 PM UTC

Atlético Madrid President Enrique Cerezo has publicly criticized Barcelona's behavior as 'unprofessional' regarding the summer transfer pursuit of forward Julián Álvarez, nicknamed 'Little Spider'. In an interview before the match against Villarreal, Cerezo reiterated that the club has repeatedly stated Álvarez is not for sale and remains an Atlético Madrid player. Despite the player's agent posting suggestive messages on social media and Barcelona's persistent interest, the club's stance is firm. However, Álvarez was not included in the squad for the previous match against Malaga and was only on the bench for the Villarreal game, indicating a delicate situation. Cerezo emphasized that the coach will decide when Álvarez plays. He specifically criticized Barcelona for failing to follow normal procedures in their pursuit of the player.