Atlético de Madrid formally accused Barcelona of having inappropriately approached Julián Álvarez (26 years old) and is threatening to file a complaint with FIFA's sports justice bodies, according to Cadena Cope. The colchoneros claim that Barcelona held negotiations with the Argentine striker without Atlético's knowledge or consent. The indictment centers on the allegation that there was direct contact with Álvarez – a player under contract until 30 June 2030 – in breach of FIFA regulations on Player Status and Transfer.
As already reported by Football Espana, Atlético publicly escalated the tone of its statements on May 29, accusing Barcelona of a "campaign of harassment and overthrow" aimed at destabilizing Álvarez and creating public pressure on the club to sell him. The threat of a complaint to FIFA represents a next step in this escalation, moving the dispute from a rhetorical level to a procedural level.
According to FIFA regulations, clubs are prohibited from approaching a player who is under contract with another club without the appropriate written authorization from the employing club. Atlético's complaint, if formally lodged, will be based on the claim that Barcelona entered into discussions with Álvarez or his representatives without such authorization – what in English football is often called a "tap-up", and which FIFA regulations classify as encouraging breach of contract.
It is important to distinguish between a threatened complaint and a formally filed complaint. Atlético has indicated that it will take the matter to FIFA, but has not confirmed that documentation has been submitted. This difference is relevant: the threat itself functions as a public and legal signal, putting Barcelona on alert and creating a documentary record, regardless of whether the procedures are officially opened.
Atlético also cite Álvarez's own public comments expressing a desire to leave as evidence that something – some kind of contact – preceded that statement, a sequence the club insists did not emerge in a vacuum. Griezmann's case hangs over this entire situation. Diario AS reports that Atlético sources have explicitly referred to Barcelona's alleged conduct prior to Antoine Griezmann's departure in 2019 – specifically, allegations that Barcelona promised commissions to Griezmann's sister, other family members and the player himself – as a pattern they now consider to be repeating itself with Álvarez. This precedent is cited not just as a complaint, but as evidence of systemic behavior.
Barcelona's public stance has been to contest Atlético's characterization of the events. As reported by Football Espana, the Blaugrana have disputed Atletico's claim that no formal offer was made, stating that a €100 million proposal was transmitted and received. This counter-allegation, if accurate, changes the narrative considerably: it would mean that the clubs were in some kind of exchange, even if Atlético rejects the characterization as a formal and protocol-compliant approach.
Atlético's position remains that they have not received any official offer through the proper channels and that there has been no direct negotiation between the clubs. The distinction the club is making – and it is a significant distinction – is between unsolicited leaks, media pressure and indirect contact on the one hand, and a legitimate, permission-based approach on the other. Whether Barcelona can demonstrate that their contact followed the correct sequence is precisely what a FIFA process would examine.
Álvarez's contract includes a reported €500 million release clause, a figure that exists precisely to make unauthorized departures legally and financially prohibitive. Football Espana has already reported on Barcelona's pursuit of Álvarez in the context of that clause, which no club – including Real Madrid, whose €150 million bid was rejected – has come close to satisfying.
Atlético’s strategic use of the FIFA complaint route is not just a legal reflex; It is a trading instrument. By climbing to the level of the governing body, the Colchoneros are signaling that they are not sellers at any price below their own terms and that any club that tries to get around this by putting pressure on the player will face institutional consequences. Enrique Cerezo and the Atlético board have been consistent throughout this saga: Álvarez is not for sale on terms other than their own, and the club will use all available mechanisms to reinforce that position.
The threat of a complaint to FIFA makes a short-term resolution significantly less likely. For Barcelona to re-engage productively, it would have to demonstrate that previous contact complied with regulations or accept that any future approach must be channeled exclusively through Atlético. Neither path is simple, given the institutional animosity now registered. Álvarez himself has expressed a preference for a move to Barcelona, which adds an additional layer of tension. A player publicly pushing to leave while his club lodges a complaint against his destination club creates precisely the kind of three-way impasse that tends to drag transfer sagas into late August and beyond. The institutional conflict between Atlético and Barcelona is now running in parallel – and, perhaps, competing – with the player's own desires – and these two forces are pulling in opposite directions. The next significant development will be if FIFA formally acknowledges receipt of a complaint and opens an admissibility review, if Barcelona respond publicly to the "tapping-up" allegation with its own documentation, or if Álvarez himself makes a new statement forcing either club to clarify their position before the window closes.