Barcelona Fined $670 for Illegally Approaching Atletico's Julian Alvarez

Barcelona has been fined 602 euros ($670) by the Spanish FA after Atletico Madrid complained about the club's unauthorized contact with striker Julian Alvarez. Atletico accused Barcelona of approaching the Argentinian, whose contract extends until June 2030, without prior written notification to his current club. This sanction is in accordance with Article 133 of the federation’s regulations. Atletico had also lodged a complaint with FIFA, but the organization stated it lacked jurisdiction over the matter.

Meanwhile, Alvarez has faced public scrutiny for his comments. He recently scored Atletico’s winning goal against Deportivo La Coruna, marking his second consecutive match with a goal, which helped his team close the gap to two points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona. Following the match, he apologized for expressing his desire to join Barcelona, stating, “It was a mistake. I understand why the fans are angry. If I were a fan, I’d be angry, too. Especially given how they’ve supported me since I arrived.” This statement referred to an interview during the 2026 World Cup where he expressed his dream of playing for Barcelona, a situation that led to a transfer dispute throughout the summer window.

Despite being frequently booed by home fans this season, Alvarez received a standing ovation from parts of the crowd after scoring on Saturday, indicating a potential improvement in his relationship with the Atletico faithful. Alvarez joined Atletico from Manchester City in 2024 for a fee that could reach up to 95 million euros ($111m). He has scored 51 goals in 115 games for Atletico, following his 36 goals in 103 appearances for Manchester City.