Julián Alvarez’s Atlético redemption arc in full focus for visit of Barcelona

Top spot is up for grabs in Sunday’s heavyweight clash as the Spider faces the team that tried to trap him last summer

Julián Alvarez said sorry but forgiveness must be earned on the field and Sunday would be the perfect place. At 9pm at the Metropolitano, Atlético Madrid play Barcelona. It is the biggest match in Spain right now, a place at the top of the table awaiting the winner; it is also the game the striker they call the Spider planned to play on the other side. That, Alvarez said in Dallas, was his “dream”. Denied that, he must defeat the men he wanted to join to win back the supporters he wanted to walk out on, no better opportunity than now.

He has beaten them before. Last season, Atlético knocked Barcelona out of the Copa del Rey and Champions League. Alvarez scored both times but beneath the surface something had shifted in him and by the time the World Cup came round he admitted his desire to leave for Catalonia. That day, after Argentina beat Algeria, he didn’t name Barcelona and he didn’t need to; everyone knew. “It’s not the time to talk about this but nor can I hide,” he said. “I spoke with the people I needed to and the best thing for everyone is a transfer.”

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