Atlético threaten FIFA complaint against Barcelona over alleged illegal approach for Julián Álvarez

Atlético Madrid have formally accused Barcelona of approaching Julián Álvarez without permission and are threatening to file a complaint with FIFA’s sporting justice bodies, according to Cadena Cope. Los Colchoneros allege that Barcelona held negotiations with the 26-year-old Argentine forward without their knowledge or consent — a potential breach of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which govern contact with contracted players.

Álvarez is bound to Atlético until 30 June 2030, meaning any direct approach to the player or his representatives without written authorisation from the club would constitute what English football calls a tap-up and what FIFA classifies as an inducement to breach contract.

Atlético first escalated their language publicly on 29 May, accusing Barcelona of a months-long campaign of “acoso y derribo” — harassment and demolition — designed to unsettle Álvarez and manufacture pressure on the club to sell. The FIFA complaint threat represents the procedural next step in that escalation, moving the dispute beyond rhetoric.

A distinction worth noting: Atlético have indicated they will take the matter to FIFA but have not confirmed that documentation has been formally submitted. The threat itself nonetheless functions as a legal signal, placing Barcelona on notice and creating a paper trail. Atlético are also pointing to Álvarez’s own public comments expressing a desire to leave as evidence that some form of contact preceded that statement — a sequence the club insists did not arise in a vacuum.

The shadow of the Griezmann affair hangs over the dispute. Diario AS report that Atlético sources explicitly referenced Barcelona’s alleged conduct before Antoine Griezmann’s 2019 departure — specifically claims that Barcelona promised commissions to Griezmann’s sister, other family members, and the player himself — as a pattern they now believe is repeating itself with Álvarez. That precedent is cited not merely as grievance but as evidence of what Atlético characterise as systemic behaviour.

Barcelona’s public posture has been to contest Atlético’s version of events. The Blaugrana have disputed the claim that no formal offer was made, asserting that a €100 million proposal was transmitted and received by Atlético. If accurate, that counter-claim would indicate the clubs have been in some form of exchange — even if Atlético reject the characterisation of those communications as a legitimate offer.