Barcelona have been fined for breaking the rules of the Spanish Football Association
FC Barcelona have been fined by the Spanish Football Association for their pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez. The Catalan club, who are currently top of the LaLiga table, attempted to sign the Argentine during the summer transfer window.
Atletico accused Barcelona of approaching Alvarez, whose contract runs until June 2030, without notifying them in writing beforehand. The Spanish FA has now fined Barcelona 602 euros (Rs 63,746.38) for violating its regulations.
The sanction falls under Article 133 of the Federation Regulations. Atletico also lodged a complaint with FIFA over the matter, but the global governing body ruled it had no jurisdiction over the case.
JULIAN ALVAREZ TRANSFER SAGA
Although the financial penalty is relatively small, the dispute has increased attention surrounding Alvarez’s future at Atlético. The Argentine fueled speculation of a possible move to Barcelona during an interview ahead of the 2026 World Cup when he spoke of his desire to fulfill his dream of playing for the Catalan club.
His comments reportedly angered Atlético supporters, who have often booed the striker from sections of the home crowd this season.
However, Alvarez has shown signs of winning fans back. He scored against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday to find the net for the second game in a row as Atletico moved to within two points of LaLiga leaders Barcelona.
After the match, the forward apologized for his earlier remarks and acknowledged the frustration among fans.
“It was a mistake. I understand why the fans are upset. If I was a fan, I’d be upset too. Especially with how they’ve supported me since I came in,” Alvarez said.
The striker’s comments at the World Cup, where he said he wanted to fulfill his dream of playing for Barcelona, sparked a transfer row that dragged on through the summer window.
Despite the tension, his decisive goal against Deportivo seemed to mark a shift in the mood at the Metropolitan. Alvarez received a standing ovation from sections of the Atlético crowd after scoring the goal, suggesting his relationship with the club’s supporters could be starting to improve.
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