Julian Alvarez remains at Atletico Madrid despite his desire to depart for Barcelona, leaving manager Diego Simeone to manage the fallout. In a press conference ahead of Atletico's opening match in La Liga, Simeone addressed the summer saga surrounding the Argentine forward.

Simeone emphasized that Alvarez will be a significant part of the squad, stating:

"Julián Alvarez will be in the squad tomorrow. For me, Julián is an extremely important player for us to achieve our objectives. As long as he’s with the team, I’m going to look after him."

The coach also tackled potential backlash from fans regarding Alvarez's intentions to leave. He expressed respect for the supporters but condemned any form of abuse:

"I respect our fans, I always have, but I don’t agree with insults or abuse."

Simeone reiterated the finality of Miguel Angel Cerezo, the club president's, words, urging fans to embrace Alvarez for the team's success:

"Every word is being scrutinised by people waiting to create conflict and uncertainty. There is no uncertainty. Miguel was very clear. He is our player and we need him."

As Atletico prepares for the season, all eyes will be on how fans respond to Alvarez's presence on the pitch.