Pep Guardiola was banking on Julian Alvarez sticking around at Manchester City. But the reigning English champions were forced to engineer a $84 million deal for Alvarez with Spanish giants, Atletico Madrid. Guardiola has now come to terms with the fact that he won’t have the Argentine to depend on when Erling Haaland is unavailable. The Spanish coach sent an emotional message to the 2022 World champion before he joined Atleti. Nevertheless, the ace coach is clueless about why Alvarez opted out of the Etihad.
“First of all I want to say my gratitude for Julian, we won everything, his contribution has been massive. He was incredibly loved by the team for his behavior,” said Guardiola.
Alvarez, notably, won the European treble in his first season with Guardiola’s City and is now leaving with a Premier League title in his cabinet. The Spanish coach added, “But if he wants to leave, a new challenge — Atletico is a top club — then if you want to leave it’s OK. We wish him the best. I learned a lot from him, hopefully he can find what he was looking for,” the coach added.
The coach’s response wasn’t fully sweet after all. There’s a bitter part as well. “I don’t know the reason why, he said to me he wants a new challenge, he feels it’s what he needs to do. Last season he played a lot, at some moments with Erling, but I understand in certain moments he didn’t play,” Guardiola added.
Guardiola on Alvarez: “First of all I want to say my gratitude for Julian, we won everything, his contribution has been massive. He was incredibly loved by the team for his behaviour but if he wants to leave, a new challenge — Atletico is a top club — then if you want to leave…
— Sam Lee (@SamLee) August 9, 2024
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The post “He Wants a New Challenge”- Pep Guardiola On Julian Alvarez’s Manchester City Exit, Calls Atletico Madrid ‘Top Club’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.
