Julián Álvarez is going through a delicate moment at Atlético de Madrid. The Argentine striker, who was returning from injury, played 60 minutes against Mallorca and ended up visibly upset when he was substituted: he shook his head and muttered on the bench, showing his frustration. With just one goal in five official matches, the attacker's adaptation is not being as expected and his future is beginning to generate debate.
One of those who knows him best, Hugo Rafael Varas, his first coach in Argentina, analyzed the situation in an interview granted to Super Deportivo Radio on Radio Villa Trinidad. The coach was blunt: "I don't see him comfortable with Simeone. He never played in the position he has to be playing".
Julián Álvarez: the diagnosis of his discoverer
Varas stressed that Julián Álvarez has been used in positions away from the area, which limits his goalscoring impact. "Today Atlético is a team that defends a lot and attacks little. Julián appears more as a passer than as a finisher. He is scoring on free kicks or from outside the area, but the team does not generate for him to be the 9 that shone in River", he explained.
The coach added that he was even surprised to see his former protégé in extreme defensive work: "We have seen games where Julián was defending in the rival's goal. I couldn't believe it". According to Varas, Diego Simeone's style may be conditioning the striker's performance, who dreams of establishing himself as the starting '9' for the Argentine national team.
The future of Julián Álvarez
Varas's testimony opens the door to speculation about the future of the Argentine international. The coach suggested that, if the situation on the rojiblanco bench does not change, a market movement could occur: "I believe that at some point there will be a change, either of coach or of player".
In fact, he acknowledged that the name of Fútbol Club Barcelona appears in the conversations: "A person was telling me to go to Barcelona and the truth is that he is not there because they did not put the money that was needed. He would go, because he was always a fan of Barça".
Barça, attentive to the situation of Julián Álvarez
In a context where Barça is looking to strengthen its attack in the medium term, Varas's words have not gone unnoticed. The Catalan club has always followed the evolution of Julián Álvarez closely, whose offensive versatility would fit into Hansi Flick's project.
Although there is no open negotiation at the moment, the market movements and the will of the Argentine player could reactivate an opportunity that once escaped. Álvarez's immediate future will depend on his performance in the coming months and on Simeone's continuity on the colchonero bench.
The situation of Julián Álvarez at Atlético is an open issue with both sporting and market implications. The striker wants to regain the confidence and role he had at River and in the national team, while Barça remains expectant in case the opportunity arises to incorporate him in the future.