Julian Alvarez Reveals Why He Left Manchester City for Atletico Madrid

Alvarez’s Decision to Leave Man City

Julian Alvarez has opened up about the moment he realized his time at Manchester City was coming to an end. Despite being part of the club’s historic Champions League-winning squad, the Argentine forward found himself playing a secondary role behind Erling Haaland.

While City lifted the trophy in 2023, Alvarez remained on the bench for the final and saw just one minute of action across both legs of the semi-final against Real Madrid. After another season in Haaland’s shadow, he opted for a fresh start, securing an £81m move to Atletico Madrid in August 2024.

Why Alvarez Chose Atletico Madrid

In an interview with Infobae, Alvarez reflected on his time at City and why he felt the need for a new challenge:

“City trusted me from the start. They brought me from River Plate, I played many games, scored goals, and won titles. It was perfect. If I had stayed, I would have been comfortable. But deep inside, I felt I needed something different.”

He also admitted that missing out on crucial matches played a role in his decision:

“I wanted to play the biggest games. In the Champions League final, I didn’t get in. In the semi-final, I barely played. That made me think about making a change.”

Alvarez’s Impact at Atletico Madrid

Since his arrival in Spain, Alvarez has flourished under Diego Simeone, forming a lethal partnership with Antoine Griezmann. With 20 goals already this season, he is proving exactly why he wanted a bigger role on the biggest stage.

His departure from City saw him leave behind an impressive record of 36 goals and 17 assists in 103 appearances, though the majority of his starts came when Haaland was unavailable.