Atletico coach Simeone to bench Alvarez amid transfer standoff

Aug 18 : Atletico Madrid will be without striker Julian Alvarez for their LaLiga opener against Malaga, coach Diego Simeone said on Tuesday as the Argentine remains embroiled in a transfer tug-of-war with Barcelona.The 26-year-old, who cost Atletico €75 million ($86.8 million) when he arrived from Manchester City in 2024, has made no secret of his desire to move on.Alvarez revealed at the World Cup that he had spoken to the club about a potential transfer to "fulfil my dream", with Barcelona heavily linked in Spanish media reports.Atletico CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin, however, said the club would not accept even €200 million for a major asset they wanted to keep. "Miguel Angel is the club's owner. Nothing is more definitive than the club's owner, it's crystal clear. It's like when a judge h