'Let him leave once and for all': Atletico asks Alvarez to 'not go near fans'

Atletico Madrid and Villarreal were locked in a 2-2 draw after Atletico played most of the game with 10 men. The match saw several incidents that upset Atletico fans, particularly striker Julian Alvarez.

In the 76th minute, Villarreal took the lead from a penalty awarded after Robin Le Normand was sent off for fouling Georges Mikautadze. Mikautadze converted the penalty to put Villarreal ahead.

Atletico responded in the 59th minute when Marc Pubill scored from outside the box. However, Villarreal equalised again in the 66th minute thanks to a second penalty kick awarded for Le Normand's earlier foul on Mikautadze. Gerard Moreno converted the second penalty to level the score at 2-2.

The match was marred by fans booing Alvarez, particularly when he came on as a substitute. Some fans chanted "Let him leave once and for all," after Alvarez said he had spoken to the club about a possible transfer. The boos continued even after the final whistle as Alvarez went straight to the dressing room while the rest of Atletico stayed behind to greet the fans.

In the aftermath, Atletico's manager Diego Simeone explained the club's decision to keep Alvarez away from the fans. Simeone said it was his job to focus on the team's success and that he had to "stick together, have forwards, and have key forwards."