Simeone confirms Julián Álvarez's call-up
The press conference of the Argentine coach, Diego Pablo Simeone, took place at the Majadahonda Sports City at 12:06. The main topic was the call-up of Julián Álvarez for the upcoming Sunday match against Villarreal. The forward, who was not in the starting XI against Málaga, will be included in the official squad.
Player context
Álvarez, 19, is under contract with Atlético until 2030 and has a €490 million release clause. Despite criticism from some fans and comments from his agent, Gil Marín, the club has decided to keep him in the squad. In the press conference, Simeone stressed that the player “is working in the best way, with teammates and with a lot of respect”.
Reactions and controversy
The forward has been the target of insults at the Sports City, where posters against him were displayed. Gil Marín, the agent, responded on social media calling the club CEO a “liar”. The club, in turn, asked for calm and that the player be helped to reintegrate into daily life.
Simeone explained that the decision to call him up will depend on his performance in recent training sessions. The player has remained active and trained normally, although his arrival to the team was on the 10th. The coach highlighted that the call-up is part of a plan to “build a great team” and that the focus is on collective performance.
The match
Atlético will play this Sunday against Villarreal. If Álvarez is called up, it will be his first appearance with the club’s shirt in an official competition after his absence in the opening match against Málaga. The game will be played at the Metropolitano, and the club hopes the fans will support the team against a tough opponent with good footballers.
Simeone ended the press conference by saying that Atlético “does not rely on individualities, but on group strength” and that “100 % is not enough”. The coach expressed confidence that the team can compete successfully in the upcoming match.
