Simeone Defends Julián Álvarez Amid Barcelona Speculation

According to Spanish media, Diego Simeone responded firmly to the rumors linking Julián Álvarez with a potential move to Barcelona. After Atlético’s 3-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano, in which the Argentine striker scored all three goals, the coach made his stance clear: “It’s obvious that Julián is the best player we have. We need to take care of him, we need him to stay many years at Atlético de Madrid.”

Speculation about a rift had arisen after a brief incident during the match against Mallorca, but Simeone downplayed the noise and redirected the discussion toward football. “He has to help us, and we have to help him so he becomes even better than he already is. Every time he makes the difference like today, he helps us enormously,” the coach added.

Álvarez also addressed the controversy, denying any tension. “The lip reading they did had nothing to do with what I actually said. I swore because I was angry with myself, that’s all. These things happen with social media, but everything is fine. The focus is on improving so we don’t drop points,” he explained after his hat trick.

Despite a shaky start to the season, the striker urged patience. “That’s football. Sometimes you miss, sometimes you score. You just have to work hard to help the team and improve every day.” The win against Rayo boosts Atlético’s confidence ahead of Saturday’s Madrid Derby against Real Madrid.