Julian Alvarez went into the Camp Nou game not only as Atletico's star man, but also as the biggest target on the transfer market. Barcelona wanted him, and Atletico saw him as an asset they couldn't afford to lose.
Julian Alvarez is Atletico Madrid's most important player.
Before the ball even started, Alvarez became the center of all the stories surrounding the big match at Camp Nou. He was already Atletico's most important spark, but his return to Barcelona put him in an even brighter spotlight. President Joan Laporta sees Alvarez as a signing that can change Barca's future, while Hansi Flick believes the South American striker is the ideal successor to Lewandowski.
Since arriving at Atletico last summer, Alvarez has brought a touch and influence that the club has only seen from big names like Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa or Luis Suarez. Under Diego Simeone, he has become the centrepiece of the attacking system: agile, tireless in pressing, and incisive in the box. With 39 goals in 75 games, Alvarez is in the best form of his career.
Simeone knows what he has. “He is our best player, one of the best strikers in the world . We have to keep him,” he said bluntly. So Atletico have built a long-term plan around Alvarez: a contract until 2030, a €500m release clause and the belief that he will be Griezmann’s natural successor.
However, things will be less certain when Barcelona appears. At 37, Lewandowski still scores goals, but is no longer a solution for the future. For Laporta, Alvarez is a boost that is both symbolic and professionally suitable. Barca is willing to consider all financial options, from leverage to selling stars, to pave the way for the deal. In their eyes, only Haaland is "bigger" than Alvarez in terms of transfer value and political effect.
Julian Alvarez shows his worth at Atletico Madrid.
Atletico, on the other hand, are not about to lose the initiative. Mateu Alemany, who knows Laporta better than anyone after his time at Barcelona, has made it a priority to keep Alvarez. He wants to improve his contract to ensure he becomes the club’s “most important player”, built around him for at least the next five years. The initial steps taken, with financial backing from Apollo, are meant to send a clear message: Alvarez is Atletico’s future.
While both giants made strategic moves, Alvarez still showed a familiar image: focused, hungry and always knowing how to make his mark in the big game. He once shone at Camp Nou with the opening goals. This season, the former Man City star scored 10 goals, surpassing the same period last season, although he still has an away goal debt from the opening match at Cornella.
The upcoming Camp Nou will see not only a top striker, but also a player who is in the middle of two of Spain's biggest projects. Atletico need him for their race. Barcelona want him for their future.
The only question remaining: which shirt will this performance bring Julian Alvarez closer to?