Simeone confirms club kept Alvarez from fans after Arsenal target booed off in Atletico draw

Diego Simeone has revealed that Atletico Madrid deliberately kept Julian Alvarez away from the post-match fan appreciation after the Argentine was booed by his own supporters during Sunday’s 2-2 La Liga draw with Villarreal at the Metropolitano.

“It was a club decision to not let Julian Alvarez go over with his teammates to greet the fans,” Simeone said after the match. While his teammates walked over to applaud the home faithful at the final whistle, Alvarez was led down the tunnel by club staff, departing to a fresh round of jeers and whistles.

Alvarez had entered the game as a substitute in the second half, already to a chorus of boos from the home end. He played a role in ten-man Atletico’s comeback to salvage a point, yet the hostile atmosphere surrounding him persisted throughout his time on the pitch.

The 25-year-old World Cup winner has been at the centre of a turbulent summer at the Spanish capital club. Atletico rejected an approach from city rivals Real Madrid early in the transfer window, and subsequently rebuffed interest from Barcelona after Alvarez publicly declared his desire to join the reigning La Liga champions. That admission triggered a fierce backlash among Atletico supporters, with posters reading “JULIAN FUERA” — “JULIAN OUT” — appearing around the club’s training ground on Friday, featuring his No. 19 shirt crossed out.

Despite the unrest, Simeone struck a protective tone ahead of the Villarreal fixture. “For me, Julian is an extremely important player for us to achieve our objectives. As long as he’s with the team, I’m going to look after him,” the manager said.

Arsenal are reported to be strongly interested in signing Alvarez as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his squad. With Atletico unwilling to sell to either of their domestic rivals, Arsenal are said to be the primary remaining option for the former Manchester City forward should he push for a departure before the window closes.