Alvarez omitted from Atletico Madrid's La Liga opener as Barcelona exit talk intensifies

Julian Alvarez was absent from Atletico Madrid’s squad for their La Liga season opener against Malaga on Wednesday, with manager Diego Simeone pointing to a lack of training sessions as justification — even as the omission intensified rumours of a summer departure.

The Argentine forward’s future has dominated headlines throughout pre-season, with Barcelona and Arsenal both linked to a player who has reportedly told Atletico he wants to leave. Simeone, however, has consistently framed the situation in sporting terms, insisting Alvarez needs more time on the training pitch before he can be considered for selection.

“I take care of the sporting side,” Simeone said on Tuesday. “He’s one of the best attacking players — if not the best. We need more training sessions with him so he can improve. He’s the best player we have in attack. I want to build a team around him.”

Atletico have pointed to Alvarez’s extended break following Argentina’s run to the World Cup final as the reason for his delayed fitness. Yet the explanation has drawn scrutiny: Spanish internationals Marcos Llorente and Alex Baena, who also reached the World Cup final, were both named on the bench for the Malaga fixture despite a comparable time away.

It has been widely reported that Simeone and Alvarez held face-to-face talks in which the forward reiterated his desire to leave, with Barcelona understood to be his preferred destination. Arsenal have also registered serious interest in the former Manchester City striker.

Simeone appeared to draw on the club’s history of high-profile departures when addressing the speculation, referencing Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann as precedents. “People will have their opinions,” he said. “I’m very respectful of people’s opinions — I always have been in these situations: Diego Costa, Griezmann, and now Julián.”

Atletico have maintained throughout the summer that Alvarez is not for sale, but his absence from the matchday squad on the opening night of the season suggests the club’s position may be softening — or that the situation is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.