Julian Alvarez will start Atletico’s home La Liga match against Villarreal on the substitutes’ bench on Sunday, marking his return to the squad after missing the previous game against Malaga because he was not yet physically ready to play.
The Argentina forward’s inclusion comes as his future at Atletico continues to attract significant attention. Alvarez has previously expressed a desire to leave the Madrid club, but Atletico have no intention of selling him and remain firm in their position.
Barcelona are reportedly still hoping to complete a transfer for the player. However, Atletico’s stance means there is currently no indication that the club are prepared to negotiate his departure.
For Sunday’s fixture, Alvarez has been named among the replacement players rather than included in Atletico’s starting line-up. His presence nevertheless represents a change from the match against Malaga, which he missed entirely while continuing to work towards full physical readiness.
The decision to place him on the bench leaves open the possibility of Alvarez appearing during the game, although he will not begin the contest on the pitch. His return to the matchday squad is likely to draw further attention because of the continuing uncertainty surrounding his situation at Atletico.
The forward’s reported wish to move on has added an off-field storyline to Atletico’s meeting with Villarreal. While Barcelona are said to retain hope of signing him, the Madrid club have made clear that they do not intend to sell and have adopted a particularly firm position.
Atletico will therefore approach the match with Alvarez available as a substitute, despite the recent speculation over his future. Villarreal are the visitors for the Spanish league fixture, which will be played at Atletico’s home ground on Sunday.
Kick-off is scheduled for 18:00 Moscow time. LiveResult will provide text commentary of the match.
