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The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is set to request statements from both Barcelona and Atlético Madrid regarding the circumstances surrounding Barcelona's alleged conduct in their pursuit of Julián Alvarez.
Atlético lodged a formal complaint against Barcelona as early as June 30, alleging that the La Liga title holders made an unlawful approach outside the permitted transfer window, having already expressed public outrage over reports of a €100 million ($115 million) bid.
According to MARCA, Barcelona have been officially notified by the RFEF, confirming the launch of an investigation into the matter, which first emerged publicly on Thursday.
After both clubs have submitted their respective accounts of the events, a disciplinary committee will determine whether formal charges should be filed against Barcelona, who are widely anticipated to lodge their own counter-appeal.
The Potential Consequences for Barcelona
Atlético have maintained a resolute position that they have no intention of selling Alvarez—especially not to Barcelona—even as the striker himself has publicly expressed his wish to move on. He is currently contracted with the club until 2030.
Under the rules, Barcelona would be required to first negotiate and agree a transfer fee with Atlético before receiving authorization to hold talks with Alvarez directly. In practice, however, the process is notoriously murky, with agents and intermediaries frequently exploiting loopholes within the regulations.
Central to Atlético's grievance is the allegation that Barcelona deliberately made contact with individuals in Alvarez's circle without prior authorization—a practice commonly referred to as tapping up—while they have also accused the Blaugrana of orchestrating a "smear campaign" and spreading "fake news" in an effort to unsettle Alvarez and apply pressure on Atlético.
This is not unfamiliar territory. Back in 2019, Atlético filed a complaint with the RFEF over Barcelona's eventual €120 million signing of Antoine Griezmann, arguing that Barça had begun negotiations while his release clause was still set at €200 million, and therefore claimed entitlement to the full buyout amount.
The RFEF ultimately ruled in Atlético's favor, yet the issue was that Los Rojiblancos had already publicly announced Griezmann's impending departure well ahead of time. It was concluded that, since Atlético were no longer actively trying to retain the Frenchman, Barcelona's infringement was considered minor, resulting in a negligible fine of just €300.
Atlético's position in the Alvarez situation has been considerably more steadfast, and any ruling of guilt this time would likely result in a significantly more severe penalty.
A financial penalty seems probable should a rule violation be confirmed, but there is a risk of far graver consequences. FIFA has previously intervened in tapping-up cases and imposed transfer bans on clubs in the past. The exact nature of Barcelona's alleged actions would ultimately determine whether such a stringent sanction would be warranted.