Dugarry slams Alvarez after failed Barcelona push: "Idiots!"

Christophe Dugarry severely criticized Julian Alvarez and his entourage on Monday, calling their handling of the transfer “idiotic” as the 26-year-old Argentine striker remains at Atlético Madrid a week before the summer transfer window closes on Tuesday, September 1st.

The 1998 World Cup winner did not mince his words. “The player and his entourage are idiots!” he said. “How do you go around declaring ‘I want to leave the club’ like that? Is he stupid or what? The best way to leave isn’t to do that. Keep quiet, play it humble, be smart in your communication.”

To illustrate his point, Dugarry cited the case of Antoine Griezmann, who moved from Atlético to Barcelona in the summer of 2019 for 120 million euros. “Didn’t you see what happened with Griezmann? Don’t you know your board? Your supporters?” The comparison is cutting: while Griezmann had managed things carefully, Alvarez chose direct confrontation — with immediate consequences, as Madrid supporters booed him heavily during the 2-2 draw against Villarreal on Sunday.

On the substance, the former Girondins de Bordeaux and FC Barcelona player believes Atlético should let their striker leave. “When a player wants to go, you have to let him go. After that, it creates more problems than anything else.” But he conditions this outcome on a minimum of mutual respect: “I’m also of the view that there needs to be respect on both sides.”

Dugarry predicts a difficult season for the former Manchester City player if the situation remains deadlocked. “The first thing when you’re trying to work out a deal is not to spit on your supporters, on your club. You get hit by the boomerang right in the face. The kid is going to have to work hard. He’s put a ball and chain around his ankle. What a huge mistake!” The Madrid club, meanwhile, remains inflexible in negotiations, making a Barcelona departure increasingly unlikely before the transfer window closes.