Overview
- On Saturday, May 30, 2026, Atlético published a series of mocking posts on X that included AI photomontages of Barcelona players in Atlético shirts and fake 'offers' such as Bad Bunny tickets, an ABC subscription and a bag of sunflower seeds.
- The club used the posts to deny that it had received a reported €100 million bid for Julián Álvarez and to accuse journalists and rivals of running a coordinated campaign of leaks and false reports.
- Multiple transfer outlets and journalists have reported that Barcelona is preparing a sizeable formal offer for Álvarez, with figures reported around €90–100 million including bonuses, but no official bid or agreement has been announced.
- Atlético’s messages referenced past controversies linked to Barcelona, naming the Negreira refereeing affair and registration problems to underscore its complaint about unfair treatment.
- The episode sharpens the rivalry between the clubs, leaves Álvarez’s future unsettled despite his strong season, and could prompt further public exchanges or formal offers in the coming days.