Barcelona fined £503 over approach for Alvarez
The Spanish football association has fined Barcelona 602 euros after Atletico Madrid complained that the club contacted striker Julian Alvarez without written notice.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Barcelona were fined 602 euros or about £503 by the Spanish football association.
- Atletico Madrid complained that their La Liga rivals approached Julian Alvarez without prior written notice.
- The 26-year-old striker remains under contract with Atletico until June 2030.
- FIFA declined to intervene, declaring it had no jurisdiction over the case.
Barcelona have been handed a fine of 602 euros, equivalent to approximately £503, following a formal complaint filed by Atletico Madrid regarding unauthorized contact made by the club with striker Julian Alvarez.
Atletico accused their La Liga rivals of approaching the 26-year-old Argentina international without notifying them beforehand in writing. Despite the transfer speculation, the forward remained with Atletico and is currently tied to a contract running until June 2030.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The penalty was officially issued by the Spanish football association. In addition to domestic action, Atletico also escalated the matter to FIFA, but football's global governing body declared it had no jurisdiction to handle the case, leaving the matter under the purview of national authorities.
Alvarez has experienced a mixed relationship with supporters this season, having faced jeers from sections of his own fans, but recently received a standing ovation after scoring the winning goal against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday. Following that victory, which pulled Diego Simeone's squad within two points of league leaders Barcelona, Alvarez took the opportunity to apologize to the Atletico faithful.
Approaching a player under contract without formal written notification to the parent club is a strict regulatory violation in professional football designed to protect clubs' contractual rights. The relatively nominal fine imposed by the Spanish federation reflects specific domestic disciplinary guidelines, whereas FIFA's refusal to intervene highlights the limits of international governing bodies over internal league disputes unless cross-border transfer regulations are explicitly breached.
Alvarez originally transferred to Atletico Madrid from Manchester City on a six-year deal worth up to £81.5m in August 2024. Having scored 36 goals in 103 appearances during his time in England, he has continued his scoring form in Spain with 51 goals in 115 matches for Atletico.
Source: BBC Sport
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