Diego Simeone leapt to the defence of his compatriot Julian Alvarez after the Atletico Madrid striker was jeered by the club’s own fans against Villarreal. It marked his first appearance at the Metropolitano since he made clear his desire to leave in the summer window.
According to the Spanish newspaper “Marca”, the boos began the moment Alvarez’s name flashed up on the stadium screen. They returned as he came out to warm up and again during his second-half cameo. He then left for the dressing room alone after the final whistle, on the club’s advice, to avoid fresh friction with supporters.
Simeone brushed aside the anger and backed his man without hesitation. “We compete with the players we have, and I told them before the match that we would fight until the end with everyone who is in the team,” he told DAZN.
The Argentine went further at his press conference: “We need outstanding strikers, and we have one of them, and we must keep him”.
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Goalkeeper Jan Oblak echoed the sentiment, insisting the dressing room stands firmly behind the striker. “As long as he is with us we will support him, because we know what he can offer,” he said.
Alejandro Grimaldo joined the chorus, calling Alvarez “a wonderful striker and a player who makes the difference”, while Giuliano Simeone vowed that every Atletico player would fight alongside the Argentine for as long as he stays.
Marca summed it up neatly. Alvarez may have walked off to a chorus of jeers, but inside the club he found a wall of support: the board, Simeone and his team-mates all closing ranks behind him despite the ongoing crisis.
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