"Mockery? I'll gladly accept it!" Transfer turmoil Alvarez greets fans alongside Lee Kang-in; Romero also claims role as "bodyguard," citing "solid camaraderie"

*This content was translated by AI.

Julian Alvarez (26, Atletico Madrid) faced angry fans directly. This marks his first public appearance toward supporters since the 'Barcelona transfer demand' controversy erupted.

Spain's Marca reported on the 6th (Korea time) that "Alvarez approached 200 Atletico fans who had traveled to the away match against Athletic Bilbao, greeting them alongside his teammates."

Atletico suffered a 0-3 defeat in the fourth round of the 2026–2027 Spanish La Liga away match against Athletic Bilbao held at Estadio San Mames in Bilbao on the 5th.

After the match, Alvarez walked toward the home crowd alongside teammates including Lee Kang-in. The media stated: "Although Atletico suffered their first loss of the season, Alvarez acted differently compared to his behavior during the Villarreal match. At that time, the club had immediately sent him to the locker room due to fan anger over contract issues. However, he did not avoid them this time. To win back the fans' hearts, Alvarez headed toward the corner section of the away stands."

The fans' resentment remained. When Alvarez was substituted in during the 13th minute of the second half, away supporters erupted in jeers. The media added: "This was a clear expression of dissatisfaction with his recent actions, including publicly demanding a transfer."

Teammates stepped in as a protective shield. Cristian Romero and Juan Muso, both fellow Argentina national team players, accompanied Alvarez from the moment they arrived at the stadium. The media explained: "The two stayed by Alvarez's side from warm-up until the moment he entered the field, taking special care of him."

Ultimately, only Alvarez's performance can restore the lost fan support. With his teammates' steadfast backing, attention now turns to whether he can turn jeers into cheers.

Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in started the match and spent approximately 59 minutes on the field, striking the goalpost with a right-footed shot in the third minute of the first half and delivering a sharp pass to Alex Baena in the 23rd minute, among other efforts. Although he failed to register an attacking contribution, he received a mid-range rating of 6.7 from football statistics outlet FootMob.

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*This content was translated by AI.