News Focus
- Atletico Madrid posted six mocking tweets targeting Barcelona over transfer rumours.
- The club denied reports of a €100 million bid from Barcelona for Julian Alvarez.
- Atletico accused Barcelona of running a ‘propaganda machine’ and smear campaign.
- Alvarez’s agent, Fernando Hidalgo, will meet Atletico to ease tensions.
- The Argentina forward remains Diego Simeone’s key player at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Atletico Madrid have publicly ridiculed Barcelona on social media following intense speculation linking Julian Alvarez with a move to the Catalan giants. The Spanish club released a series of sarcastic posts on Friday after reports emerged suggesting Barcelona had tabled a €100 million offer for the Argentine striker.
Los Colchoneros strongly rejected these claims through both official media channels and Twitter. Their online outburst included fake announcements written in the style of famous transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano. One joke claimed they would sign Lamine Yamal and Pedri in exchange for concert tickets. Another post showed a dog wearing a lion costume, suggesting Barcelona lack real strength.
The Madrid-based club also made serious accusations against their rivals. They referenced Barcelona’s ongoing Negreira refereeing scandal and questioned how the Catalan side registered Dani Olmo last season. Atletico stated they would never use ‘political favours’ or employ the vice president of referees, attacking Barcelona’s recent off-pitch controversies.
Despite the heated exchange, Alvarez’s representative Fernando Hidalgo is preparing to meet Atletico officials. Sources indicate this meeting aims to calm the situation and potentially arrange a transfer that suits all parties. The agent hopes to prevent current tensions from blocking any future move to Barcelona.
Both Alvarez and manager Diego Simeone have remained quiet regarding the forward’s long-term future. However, they have previously stated that the World Cup winner enjoys living in the Spanish capital. Barcelona continue to view Alvarez as the ideal replacement for ageing striker Robert Lewandowski, though financial fair play rules mean they must sell players worth €30-50 million before registering new signings this summer.