No one can deny the enormous impact that the arrival of a star like Julián Álvarez has had on Atlético de Madrid, even more so coming from the all-powerful Manchester City. The Argentine was the great desire of the sporting management, although they were aware of the difficulty that his transfer entailed. In the end, everything came to fruition, partly thanks to the collaboration of his compatriots in the national team.
From the start, players like Rodrigo de Paul and Nahuel Molina did not hesitate to try to convince Julián Alvarez to join the Metropolitano. Obviously, they have been his main support in the red-white team, helping him to integrate under Simeone's orders. After making his debut as a goalscorer against Valencia, it was Rodrigo de Paul who clarified the reasons that led his teammate to join the colchonero team.
A Striker with a Lot of Ambition
Obviously, many people did not understand Julián Alvarez's decision to leave Manchester City for Atlético de Madrid. The team managed by Pep Guardiola is one of the most successful in recent seasons, competing for all the titles. In fact, the Argentine managed to lift the Champions League trophy during his first campaign wearing the English team's shirt.
However, it was Rodrigo de Paul, during an interview with CNN, who revealed the reasons that led his compatriot to end up arriving in Spain. “I think it says a lot about Julián, his personality and hunger, his desire to challenge himself,” explained the midfielder. “You think that he is a 23-year-old person who has won everything, wherever he played, he won everything and he is not satisfied,” he added.
“Atlético de Madrid's expectations, which is normal for a player of his quality, are very high,” Rodrigo de Paul said about Julián Álvarez. Finally, he did not hesitate to warn that he will be his great support in the Colchonero team during the years that they may coincide. “As a teammate also in the national team, I will try to help him achieve what he came to seek, which is titles.”
Champions League Debut
This evening, Julián Álvarez will be able to play his first minutes in the red-white shirt in the continent's top competition. Everything points to Simeone betting on his compatriot starting alongside Antoine Griezmann in the attacking duo. In the match against Valencia, he started as a substitute, coming on in the second half and scoring his first goal of the season.
Simeone himself spoke at a press conference about his performance and explained that he hopes he can reach the goal tally that everyone wishes for. So far, Julián Alvarez has played a big number of matches since he left with the Argentinian national team for the Copa América. Therefore, pacing his efforts is going to be key, because Atlético de Madrid need him at his best.