Julian Alvarez scored the only goal as Atletico Madrid beat Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga on Saturday, then used the moment to apologise to the club's supporters, according to bdnews24.com. The Argentine forward had not found the net in the league since February, when he scored against Real Oviedo, and his last home league goal came back in November.
The apology, however, was not about the scoring gap. It was about what he said during last summer's World Cup, when he stated publicly that he wanted to move to Barcelona and intended to make that wish come true.
Why it matters
Alvarez's admission landed badly with Atletico's hierarchy and with coach Diego Simeone, both of whom made clear the forward would not be sold. The standoff ran through pre-season training and to the end of the transfer window, and Alvarez did not get his move. bdnews24.com reports that the club's refusal held firm.
What followed was a difficult start to the season. A fitness problem kept Alvarez off the pitch early on, and once he returned he was met with jeers from the home crowd in match after match. Simeone also criticised him publicly. According to bdnews24.com, the pressure from inside and outside the stadium affected his performances.
Saturday's goal, therefore, was more than a statistic. It was the first opening for Alvarez to address the dispute directly with the people who had been booing him, and he took it.
Mixed reception, then a public apology
Even after scoring against La Coruna, Alvarez received a mixed reaction from the stands, bdnews24.com reports. He nonetheless chose to make amends, and he tied the gesture to the winning goal.
"I want to apologise to our supporters for the things I said during the World Cup," Alvarez said, as reported by bdnews24.com. "The way I expressed myself and the timing of it were both wrong."
He added that he understood the anger, pointing to the backing he has received since arriving at the club. "I understand the supporters' frustration, especially given how they have stood by me since I came here. They have been very generous with me. If I were a fan myself, I would probably be upset too. Now it is my time to start working and to give everything I have."
Alvarez also acknowledged that the overall situation had weighed on his form, and he promised to make up for it. "I am feeling better and better," he said. "I have always had support here. I am working to improve. I feel good physically now. When things are good in your life, it shows on the pitch. We are professionals, but everything has an effect. I hope that with hard work and humility I can turn this around."
Simeone's response
The coach's tone shifted after the apology. bdnews24.com reports that Simeone said he has great respect for anyone who apologises, because saying sorry is not easy, and that he was very happy for the player, who he said must now feel a great sense of relief.
According to the same report, Simeone said that when someone speaks in that way, it is because they mean it sincerely, and that he was pleased to hear it. The coach also stressed how much the team depends on Alvarez, saying that if the club is to reach the level its supporters dream of, the forward needs to be at his best.
What to watch
Alvarez's form and the crowd's response at Atletico's next home fixture will show whether the apology has settled the matter, with the club's ambitions this season resting in part on whether he can keep scoring.
