Julian Alvarez Returns to Atletico Squad Amid Hostile Reception

Diego Simeone is bringing Julian Alvarez in from the cold. On Sunday, the striker will return to Atletico Madrid’s squad for their La Liga clash with Villarreal, walking straight into a storm of resentment from his own supporters.

The Argentina international pushed hard to leave in the summer. Atletico pushed back even harder. Barcelona came calling. Real Madrid did too. The club’s answer was the same each time: no sale.

Alvarez, still short of full fitness after an extended post-World Cup break, sat out Atletico’s opening win over Malaga on Wednesday. That absence ends now.

"Yes, he's going to be included in the squad list tomorrow and he's doing better," Simeone told reporters on Saturday. "Obviously, he's still getting up to speed, like all his teammates."

The welcome at the Metropolitano will be far less gentle. Sections of the Atletico crowd turned on Alvarez during the Malaga game, unleashing insulting chants aimed at a player they feel tried to walk away from the club.

Simeone has heard the anger. He refuses to share it.

"Obviously I don't share in any insults or slights. Let that be absolutely clear," the coach said. "Julian is a hugely important player for achieving the goals we have as a team. We need him, we're going to look after him.

"That's from a sporting standpoint, and we're going to stand by him. Why? Because he's our player, and as long as there are players at Atletico Madrid who are mine, I'm going to look after them."

So Alvarez returns as both villain and cornerstone: whistled by some, defended fiercely by the man on the touchline.

Across Spain, Barcelona are still being asked about him. Coach Hansi Flick faced repeated questions on Saturday over whether the Spanish champions had finally abandoned their pursuit of the forward. He shut the door on the topic, refusing to speak about players from other clubs.

Atletico, though, have been clear. Alvarez stays. Simeone backs him. Now comes the hard part: can the striker win back a crowd that has already made up its mind?