Atlético Madrid: Julián Alvarez ruled out again

Still troubled by a muscle issue, Julián Alvarez will miss another Atlético match, highlighting how difficult Simeone’s most complete forward is to replace.

Julián Alvarez’s difficult start to the season continues. The Argentina forward missed the win over Real Sociedad because of a muscle overload and will also sit out Wednesday’s home game against Osasuna. “Based on what I have discussed with the doctors, Julián Alvarez is still recovering. He will not be available tomorrow,” Diego Simeone confirmed at his press conference.

This will already be his fourth absence in the seven games played by Atlético Madrid since the campaign began. Alvarez is reportedly targeting Sunday’s derby against Real Madrid for his return, although the club has not announced a firm recovery date.

Three games and one assist this season

Alvarez has made only three appearances in 2026-27. He came off the bench against Villarreal and Athletic Club in La Liga, playing 55 minutes in total, before starting against Liverpool in the Champions League. Despite Atlético’s 2-1 defeat at Anfield, he provided an assist. His record therefore stands at three appearances, one start, one assist and no goals.

The stop-start beginning follows a turbulent summer. FC Barcelona submitted a formal offer, but Atlético refused to sell their No. 19 and his proposed move to Catalonia collapsed. The affair created significant tension between the clubs, with Foot Africa reporting that Barcelona remained unmoved by Atlético’s complaint.

Why Atlético cannot afford to lose him

Last season’s numbers underline his importance: 49 appearances, 20 goals and nine assists across all competitions. He averaged one direct goal contribution every 122 minutes and finished as Atlético’s joint-top scorer alongside Alexander Sørloth. Alvarez was especially productive in the Champions League, scoring ten times in 15 matches.

Atlético have recognised finishers in Sørloth and Jonathan David, but neither offers exactly the same combination of movement, pressing, link-up play and intelligence between the lines. Without Alvarez, Simeone loses his most complete forward and the player best equipped to both create and finish attacks. The Argentine is contracted until June 2030 and protected by a €500 million release clause. Having blocked his Barcelona move, Atlético must now restore the centrepiece of their sporting project to full fitness.

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Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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