Simeone Heads to Ibiza Just as Julian Alvarez Wanted to Talk

One of the tensest moments yet in the Julian Alvarez transfer saga has unfolded at Atletico Madrid. According to veteran Mundo Deportivo writer Joan Poqui, the Argentine forward returned to club facilities on Monday following a long and increasingly ugly transfer saga; the player had planned to meet with head coach Diego Simeone after training to explain his situation and formally request a move to Barcelona. However, Alvarez was left deeply disappointed upon learning that Simeone had taken a two-day family holiday in Ibiza following Atletico's tour of Asia.

According to the report, Alvarez's frustration deepened further when he discovered club CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin was also absent from his office. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Argentine forward believes his coach lacked the courage to confront the issue and deliberately avoided speaking with him. Alvarez is said to believe he was promised in February by club management that they would not stand in the way of his dream move to Barcelona, a promise he feels has now been broken, with Monday's treatment feeling like a slap in the face.

It's emphasised that Alvarez, who had tried to remain professional throughout the process and had requested a private meeting with Simeone and Gil Marin on Monday, found it hard to understand why neither man was present. The contradiction between this and Simeone's stance at a press conference in Seoul last Saturday — where he said, "The situation is very clear, the club made a decision that Miguel Angel explained very well. We're very happy to have a player like Julian," ruling out a sale — and Alvarez's evident disappointment suggests the transfer saga could deteriorate further in the coming days.

Source: Mundo Deportivo
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