Julian Alvarez handed harsh reality check by Atletico Madrid president: ‘He’s not at the level he should be’

Atletico Madrid made an investment of around €95 million (approximately $110 million) to sign Julian Alvarez in mid-2024, hoping he would become the club’s next big star. The Argentine forward had delivered excellent performances since then, but his level has dipped recently, drawing some criticism.

Alvarez has gone five consecutive La Liga matches without scoring, an unusually long drought for him, which has affected the team’s results: the Colchoneros have suffered back-to-back defeats against Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, leaving them in fourth place in the standings, nine points off the top.

“He’s not at the level he should be,” Enrique Cerezo admitted candidly during a press conference on Tuesday ahead of Atletico Madrid’s clash with PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League, as reported by Marca.

However, Cerezo quickly expressed optimism that Alvarez can turn his poor run around and help the team achieve positive results. “That doesn’t mean he can’t have the game of his life today,” the president said. “Players are human beings, not machines—you can’t just tighten a screw and expect them to work.”

Alvarez maintains strong form in Champions League

While Julian Alvarez’s La Liga numbers have fallen short of expectations for a player of his status, he has been performing better in the Champions League. The Argentine forward has recorded three goals and two assists in four group-stage matches, scoring in the last two games against Union Saint-Gilloise and Inter Milan.

Those performances have been key for Atletico Madrid to recover from a poor start—with two defeats in their first three matches—and climb the standings. Currently, they sit in 12th place with nine points, just one point shy of a direct qualification spot for the round of 16.

What’s next for Atletico Madrid in the Champions League?

This Tuesday, Atletico Madrid face a crucial Champions League clash, visiting PSV Eindhoven at Philips Stadion, a direct rival in the fight to advance to the next phase of the tournament. The hosts have just one point fewer in the standings and share the same objective.

After Tuesday’s match in the Netherlands, Atletico Madrid have only two more group-stage games remaining: on Wednesday, January 21, they will visit Galatasaray in Turkey, and a week later, they will host Bodo Glimt.