Lautaro Martínez backs Julián Álvarez after his blocked move to Barcelona

A private message that went public ended up saying more than it seemed to at first. Julián Álvarez went through a rough few weeks after being forced to stay at Atlético Madrid despite having made clear his wish to move to Barcelona, a transfer the Colchoneros ultimately blocked during the last transfer window. And the man who stepped up to support him, without hesitation, was none other than the teammate he competes with most fiercely for a starting spot on the Argentina national team: Lautaro Martínez.

The Inter forward spoke on Tuesday at the press conference ahead of his team's Champions League opener against Real Madrid, and when asked about his countryman's situation, he did not hesitate to show his support. After all, the two have been sharing the attack for the Albiceleste, even rotating in the number 9 role during the 2026 World Cup, and that shared experience has grown into something beyond simple rivalry.

I talked to him and sent him a message. I showed him all my support because beyond the fact that we share a squad and a position, and we compete for a spot on the national team, he's a friend.Lautaro Martínez

The Inter captain did not stop there. He acknowledged that things had not been easy for Julián, though he also made clear something that in soccer often outweighs any individual wish: the final decision belongs to the club.

What he went through, and what he's still going through, surely isn't easy, but the decision rests with his club's president. I wish him the best, I hope he gets back to full strength soon, and that he keeps showing what he's shown so far because he's a fantastic player, one of the best in the world too.Lautaro Martínez

What's curious is that Lautaro himself went through a similar situation in his recent career, though with a different outcome. The Argentine revealed that Barcelona had also explored signing him when the deal for Álvarez fell through, but he chose to stay put. His explanation was clear and left no room for doubt: he wants to remain at Inter, with his people, competing for titles.

With the Champions League already underway, the Rosario native also spoke about the club's biggest goal: lifting its first European Cup. He didn't put extra pressure on the matter, but he didn't hide his ambition either.

Criticism and "important" goals

Martínez also responded to those who criticize him for, as they claim, failing to score in the biggest games. He was direct: what matters is that the team wins, and he pointed out that just the previous weekend Inter had beaten a heavyweight opponent like Napoli in a match he considered crucial for the season. Between standing by a national team teammate and defending his own performance, El Toro made it clear that, on and off the field, he'd rather let collective results do the talking than individual statistics.