Julian Alvarez Shines in Atletico Training
Julian Alvarez walked out at Majadahonda on Monday looking like the same player. By the end of the session, he didn’t feel like one.
Atletico Madrid returned to work for the first time since their league clash with Athletic Bilbao, and the routine under Diego Simeone barely changed. The starters from San Mames stayed on a lighter programme, focused on recovery. The rest – substitutes and unused players – were pushed hard in a demanding workout. Only the injured Sorloth was missing.
The structure was familiar. The energy around Alvarez was not.
High-Intensity Test in Majadahonda
Simeone used the session to stage a training match, as reported by Spanish outlet As, drilling his players on pressing, winning the ball back and quick passing sequences. It was the kind of exercise that exposes anyone short of rhythm or confidence.
Alvarez and Jonathan David led the line. Koke took charge of the midfield, dictating tempo. Behind them, Dominguez, Koke, Le Normand and Dani Martinez formed the defensive unit tasked with holding shape under pressure.
Within that framework, Alvarez stood out.
The Argentine forward roamed, demanded the ball, dropped deep to link play. He didn’t hide, he hunted touches. At one point, he capped a flowing move with a superb finish, an action that mirrored the attacking pattern he produced at San Mames.
This wasn’t the hesitant, distracted version seen weeks earlier. This was a forward playing with freedom.
Extra Running, Extra Noise
When the main work ended, most of the squad eased into stretching routines. Alvarez did the opposite. He stayed on the pitch with one of Atletico’s fitness coaches, running extra metres while his teammates wound down.
The message was clear: he is chasing full physical sharpness, not waiting for it.
From the sidelines and among the group, voices rose in support, urging him on as he pushed through the additional drills. The shift in attitude had been noticed. So had the effort.
Those close to the club know the backdrop. A few weeks ago, Alvarez was at the centre of a storm after pressing for a move to Barcelona, a push Atletico flatly rejected. The episode dragged him into crisis, his future and focus questioned.
Now, at least on the training pitch, the story looks different. The body language has changed. The work rate has changed. The way teammates respond to him has changed.
If this is the new Julian Alvarez, the next step is obvious: can he carry this version into the next match and turn a turbulent summer into a turning point?
