"We will help him because he is an extraordinary player," Diego Simeone said after Julián Alvarez returned to full group training on Sunday. The Atletico Madrid forward missed the opening game against Malaga, was booed when his name was announced, again during the warm-up and once more when he came on in the second half. He will stay at Atletico until at least the January transfer window, but fitness is only part of the story.

Simeone's public backing

Simeone has tried to keep the temperature down. He called Alvarez "one of the players, or the best player, we have offensively" and said Atletico would "build a team around him". He also pushed blame away from the forward over the post-match tunnel moment, saying, "The decision was not Julian Alvarez's; it was the club's decision to separate him and send him to the dressing room."

That public support sits alongside a slow restart on the pitch. Alvarez missed three consecutive training sessions before returning to full group work, and he has only one La Liga appearance so far, for 24 minutes. Across all competitions, he has eight appearances and 631 minutes.

The supporter's reaction

The resistance has not disappeared with the training return. Ignacio told BBC Sport that "Even if he apologises it is clear he has a desire to leave and, now that the window has closed, it will feel like a forced apology." Dani added that if Alvarez starts scoring, "people will start feeling anxious."

Those comments capture the awkward part of this story. Alvarez is back, and Barcelona is no longer an immediate option, but the relationship with the stands still needs work. Atletico paid a record £81.5m to sign him from Manchester City in 2024, and they need that investment to look like a long-term fit rather than a summer mistake.

BBC reporting also points to a practical reason Simeone can ease him back in. Atletico's next three fixtures are away from home, which gives the manager a chance to reintroduce Alvarez away from the sharper edge of the Metropolitano. If he does return quickly, it will be because Simeone keeps leaning on him, not because the crowd has already moved on.

FAQ

Will Julian Alvarez stay at Atletico Madrid until the January transfer window?

Yes. Julian Alvarez will remain at Atletico Madrid until at least the January transfer window, and he has already returned to full group training on Sunday. He missed Atletico's opening game against Malaga and was booed when his name was announced, during the warm-up and again when he came on in the second half.

Why are Atletico Madrid fans still unsure about Julian Alvarez?

The trust issue comes from his summer preference for Barcelona becoming public. Supporters quoted by BBC said an apology could feel forced now that the window has closed, and one fan said goals could even make the tension sharper.

How much has Julian Alvarez played for Atletico Madrid this season?

Across all competitions, Alvarez has eight appearances and 631 minutes. In La Liga, he has only one appearance and 24 minutes so far, which underlines how stop-start his involvement has been.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →