Julián Álvarez returns to Atlético training as Barcelona transfer saga drags on

Sunday morning, training session at Atlético Madrid's Ciudad Deportiva. Nothing out of the ordinary, except for one detail: Julián Álvarez was back on the grass with his teammates after several days away. And amid the soap opera engulfing the Madrid club, every move the Argentine forward makes gets scrutinized.

The reappearance came a day after the win over Sevilla in LaLiga's third round, a victory that eased the atmosphere somewhat, though it hasn't been enough to drown out the background noise. Because the Julián Álvarez saga is, without exaggeration, one of the most talked-about storylines in the European market: the forward from Córdoba wants to play for Barcelona, the club led by Hansi Flick, and Atlético's front office refuses to let him go.

How did things get to this point? The only match Álvarez has played this season was the 2-2 draw against Villarreal at the Metropolitano, and it was far from a quiet afternoon. The home fans whistled him before, during and after the match, and when the final whistle blew, he was the only player who didn't go over to greet the crowd. That wasn't his own call: as Diego Simeone himself explained in the mixed zone, the request that day came from the club's front office.

After that uncomfortable episode, Simeone admitted that Julián had missed three training sessions due to what he called an "indisposition," though he left the door open for the situation to be "reversed." The player, meanwhile, hasn't budged from his position: for him, the only way out is Barcelona, even though Arsenal was also strongly linked to him during this transfer window.

Simeone's comments

After the win in Sevilla, the Argentine coach once again backed him publicly, though in a tone that suggests the matter is far from settled:

He's going through his personal process and we'll be here, once again, to say that on the football side we'll try to help him and that he helps us, because he's an extraordinary player.Diego Simeone

The relationship between Álvarez and the club looks worn down, and that's starting to show on the field too, where matches are ultimately decided. With his return to training confirmed, the question now turns to Simeone: will he call on him for what's coming next?

The schedule offers no breathing room. Atlético will visit Athletic Club in LaLiga's fourth round and, just days later, will travel to England to open their Champions League campaign against Liverpool at Anfield. Of the three matches played so far, Álvarez has only seen minutes in that clash with Villarreal, and there's still doubt about whether he'll be ready, physically and mentally, to face both assignments.