Julian Alvarez's return to the Metropolitano tops newspaper headlines across Spain, but the media hype around the Argentine and his behaviour has begun to seriously irritate Atletico's players.
Atletico Madrid hosted Villarreal on Sunday in a thrilling La Liga clash that ended 2-2. It made for an enjoyable and interesting game. Georges Mikautadze took the man of the match award after scoring a penalty and delivering a standout display, yet since the final whistle all eyes have fallen not on him but on Alvarez, who endured a difficult evening.
Tension hung in the air on Alvarez's return, and the Atletico crowd showed no mercy. His name drew jeers and whistles the moment the stadium announcer read it out during the pre-match presentation.
Resounding jeers greeted him again when he entered the pitch in the second half. His displeasure was written all over his face.
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At full time, while the rest of Atletico's players went to salute the fans, Alvarez headed straight back to the dressing room. The club's management ordered it, keen to protect the player and shield him from the fans' anger.
All of this has begun to cause discontent in Atletico Madrid's dressing room, according to "Cadena SER" radio.
Diego Simeone and the players publicly threw their full weight behind Alvarez, but behind the scenes the picture looks entirely different. His behaviour, a clear expression of deep sadness, has started to grate on teammates who feel uncomfortable with the situation.
They have not abandoned their teammate. Still, they fear the saga and the striker's demeanour will bring dire consequences for the team, especially in matches on home soil.
Everything surrounding the 2022 World Cup winner is hurting Atletico, as Sunday's meeting with Villarreal laid bare. The tension around Alvarez did nothing to help the cause.
Some supporters seemed more focused on the Argentine than on backing the team. Atletico's stance remains firm all the same: selling him to Barcelona is completely out of the question, but if Arsenal make a tempting offer, the door could open.
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