Dani Olmo has become the first Barcelona player to say out loud what much of the dressing room has been thinking for a fortnight: nobody can work out why Atletico Madrid refused to let Julian Alvarez go. Speaking in his home town of Terrassa on Wednesday, where he was honoured for Spain’s 2026 World Cup win, the No.20 was asked directly about the collapsed deal — and did not dress up his answer.
Dani Olmo on Julian Alvarez: ‘Understand it? I don’t’
Olmo began generously, then stopped hedging. “Julian is a great player, a great ‘9’, one of the best in the world without a doubt, but that’s football,” he said, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Then came the line that will travel. “Understand it? I don’t. In the end, we all have our dreams. I think Julian was also clear about that. He fought for his dreams, but ultimately there are also other external situations that one can’t control. In that sense, that was one of them — it goes without saying. But life goes on. This doesn’t stop.”
It is a pointed thing for a Barcelona player to say about a rival club’s transfer policy. Alvarez made his wish to leave known during the World Cup, Barcelona made their offer, and Atletico told them there was no chance.
‘More than enough to compete’
“We personally expect a very good year, for sure, with a lot of competition, because the other clubs have also strengthened their squads very well, but I think we have more than enough talent to compete,” he said. The targets, as he framed them, are the ones already in the cabinet plus the one that is not: “There are new objectives: to keep winning, to keep defending the League, Cup and Super Cup titles.”
And then the ambition every Barcelona player is asked about eventually. “We want to go for the Champions League, for which we have more than enough team.”
The early evidence is not against him. Hansi Flick’s side have opened with three wins from three, captain Raphinha has five goals from a centre-forward role he was never supposed to be filling, and Lamine Yamal has created more chances than any other player in the division. Barcelona have scored freely without a recognised No.9 — which is precisely Olmo’s argument.
That does not mean the Alvarez file is closed. Barcelona are expected to return for him in January with roughly EUR 65m to EUR 70m of financial room, and Atletico have already signalled they intend to hold the same line in the winter window.
Why there was no Camp Nou parade
Olmo was also asked about the recognition he and his Spain team-mates did not get. Barcelona had planned to honour their World Cup winners in front of their own crowd, then cancelled it after the arrest of a supporter at Elche. The playmaker said the players understood and respected the club’s decision — a tribute postponed rather than a tribute refused.
He is one of eight world champions in Flick’s squad, a number Robert Lewandowski also seized on this week when arguing that his old club are now among the Champions League favourites. Terrassa, at least, got its parade in.
What it tells you about the mood
Read the two halves together and the message is clear enough. Barcelona wanted Alvarez, they think Atletico were unreasonable, and they will not spend the season pretending otherwise — but they also believe the squad Deco assembled, and the EUR 174m window that built it, is good enough as it stands. Barca Blaugranes carried the same quotes on Wednesday evening.
Next up is the trip to Valencia at Mestalla. Olmo, who lost chunks of last season to injury, has started this campaign fit — and, on the evidence of Terrassa, in no mood to be diplomatic.
