'Let him leave forever' - Julian Alvarez brutally booed by Atletico Madrid fans

Alvarez was met with thunderous boos from his own fans as he walked onto the pitch at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The 26-year-old was initially omitted from the starting XI, but manager Diego Simeone introduced him in the 66th minute to replace Marc Pubill. However, as his name and face appeared on the screens, a chorus of deafening jeers and whistles erupted from a portion of the 70,692 supporters inside the stadium. The hostility did not stop at whistles, as fans were heard loudly chanting "Tell him to leave, let him leave forever, Puta Barça" while Alvarez was warming up.

The intense backlash stems from Alvarez publicly speaking about his desire to explore options elsewhere and meeting with Simeone about his future. Arsenal and Barcelona have emerged as potential destinations for the Argentine this summer.

However, Atletico Madrid have remained firm on their stance, confirming that Alvarez will not be sold for anything less than his £428 million (€500m) release clause. Despite the monumental asking price, Arsenal remain interested in a move ahead of the impending transfer deadline. The London club have a sizeable budget available, although they are also reportedly exploring a deal for Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen.

Alvarez struggled to make a significant impact during his 24 minutes on the pitch in the 2-2 draw. The forward managed just 12 touches and recorded one blocked shot, accumulating an expected goals (xG) of just 0.05. Although Alvarez completed nine of his 10 attempted passes, he lost possession twice and failed to complete any successful dribbles.

Villarreal secured a point through penalties from Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze, cancelling out goals from Pubill and Giuliano Simeone. Following the final whistle, the fractured relationship between player and fans was evident as Alvarez left the pitch immediately, while the rest of the Atletico Madrid squad stayed to greet the supporters.

It remains to be seen whether Alvarez can rebuild his fractured relationship with Atletico Madrid supporters or if a late summer transfer will materialise. Meanwhile, Simeone must prepare his squad for their upcoming La Liga fixtures, navigating the significant distraction of his unsettled forward.