Atletico Madrid CEO Gil Marin 'deeply regrets' Julian Alvarez's public transfer comments as he accuses Barcelona of 'lies and disrespect'

The relationship between the two Spanish giants has reached a new low as Atletico Madrid prepares to officially report Barcelona to world football's governing body. The Madrid club is incensed by what they perceive as an illegal pursuit of their star forward, who joined Atletico from Manchester City in the summer of 2024 on a contract running until 2030 for a fee of around £81.8 million, which became a club-record departure for City. Given that the player remains under a long-term contract at the Metropolitano, Atletico is determined to take formal action over the matter.

Speaking to EFE, Gil Marin made the club's intentions clear: “Our responsibility is to defend the interests of Atletico Madrid, and that is why we are going to file a complaint with FIFA against Barcelona for negotiating with a player who had a valid contract during the protected period.”

The fury from the Atletico hierarchy isn't reserved solely for Barcelona, as Alvarez himself has come under fire for his recent public admissions. While on international duty following Argentina's 2-0 win over Austria at the World Cup on Monday, the striker told ESPN: "I don't think it's the right moment to talk, but I also don't want to hide. I try to be an honest person. I spoke with the people at [Atlético] who I needed to speak with. I think the best thing for everyone is a transfer. I want to fulfil my dream." These blunt comments, where the forward openly admitted he would welcome a move, have not sat well with those in charge of the club.

“I deeply regret his comments. It wasn’t the right day to make those statements - it was Messi’s day and the Argentine national team’s day, not Julian’s,” Gil Marin added. Despite the player's apparent desire for a fresh start, the CEO insisted that the club's stance remains firm: “Julian has a dream, and we at Atletico have dreams too. It’s true that he’s spoken with us, but it’s also true that he’s fully aware of our position because we’ve been very clear. Atletico doesn’t want to transfer his rights. He’s a great player, and we’re very proud that he plays for us.”

Gil Marin blasted Barcelona’s conduct, questioning their financial ability to pull off the deal and accusing them of public deception. This pursuit follows a stellar 2025-26 season for Alvarez, who bagged 20 goals and nine assists for Atléetico, including key goals that eliminated Barça from both the Champions League quarter-finals and the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

“Barcelona is disrespecting us; they think they can walk all over us, that we’re weak or stupid,” the executive stated. “But what they’re actually showing the world is a way of acting that defines them. They’re lying to us, to the player, to the media, and they’re also lying to their own fans. They’re trying to make everyone believe they can take on a deal they’re actually not capable of handling.”

This is not the first time Atletico Madrid or other La Liga clubs have taken issue with Barcelona's transfer tactics. Gil Marin pointed to previous sagas as evidence that this is a systemic issue with how the Spotify Camp Nou hierarchy operates in the market.

“This isn’t the first time Barcelona has acted this way, and the soccer world is well aware of it. Last year, they did something very similar with Nico Williams and Athletic Club,” he concluded.