Diego Simeone wants hat-trick hero Julian Alvarez 'to stay for years' at Atletico Madrid amid talk of Barcelona transfer over Argentine's frustration with coach

Alvarez netted a brilliant hat-trick to give Atletico a 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday. He opened the scoring with a volley, levelled the match by firing in a rebound from close range and then sealed the win in the 88th minute with a superb shot from the edge of the box. These goals not only broke his dry spell but delivered a much-needed boost for Atletico's campaign, registering their second win in La Liga. Coach Simeone was delighted by his team's performance as he brough the spotlight on Alvarez's performance.

The Los Rojiblancos coach was elated that his team were finally getting back on track after their strong performance against Liverpool in the Champions League and now winning their fixture against Vallecano.

"Julian is the best player we have," he told reporters. "We need to take care of him, to keep him here at Atleti for many years. He has to help us, and we have to help him, so he can become even better than he already is. Every time he makes a difference, he helps us a lot."

Alvarez had faced a six-match goal drought and growing frustration over his role at Atletico in recent weeks. Reports suggested dissatisfaction from the youngster regarding his playing time and position, fuelling transfer rumours linking him to Barcelona and Liverpool ahead of the 2026 transfer window. His hat-trick against Vallecano ended that drought and provided a rare highlight in what has been a disappointing start to the campaign for Atletico, who have struggled to find consistency and have only picked up nine points from a possible 18 in the league. While Alvarez's performance may ease speculation about his future, questions remain about the club's form and direction this season.

Simeone's next game will be a defining one for this year's campaign as they face Real Madrid in their upcoming league fixture on September 27. After their derby, Los Colchoneros will switch their attention to the Champions League where they host German club Eintracht Frankfurt on September 30.