Barcelona fined a paltry €602 by RFEF in Atletico Madrid complaint over Julian Alvarez pursuit

Barcelona fined a paltry €602 by RFEF in Atletico Madrid complaint over Julian Alvarez pursuit As confirmed by Mundo Deportivo , FC Barcelona have been fined just €602 by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) following Atletico Madrid’s complaint over their pursuit of Julian Alvarez. The ruling brings an end to the disciplinary proceedings opened in the summer after Atletico accused Barcelona of making improper contact with the Argentine forward while he remained under contract with the Spanish capital club. RFEF imposes maximum €602 fine on Barcelona Atletico Madrid formally lodged complaints with both FIFA and the RFEF in June over Barcelona’s interest in Alvarez. The Rojiblancos alleged that their Catalan rivals had maintained improper contact with the striker despite his existing contract and had entered into discussions without Atletico’s authorisation. Atletico Madrid filed a complaint against Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Atletico based their complaint on the RFEF’s competition regulations governing players who remain under contract. The relevant provision states: “Any club wishing to sign a professional footballer must notify the club to which the player is registered in writing of its intention before beginning negotiations with the player.” The RFEF subsequently opened extraordinary proceedings in late July to examine the complaint. FIFA, however, could not open a case because it did not have jurisdiction over the matter. The Spanish federation has now concluded its investigation by imposing a €602 fine on Barcelona under Article 133, which concerns the “failure to comply with orders, instructions, agreements or regulatory obligations.” Barcelona will therefore pay the maximum financial penalty stipulated under this provision, bringing the proceedings to a conclusion with a relatively modest sporting and financial consequence. Alvarez was a top target for Barcelona in the summer. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) Antoine Griezmann case provides a precedent for Atlético Madrid The outcome recalls the dispute between the two clubs in the summer of 2019, when Atletico reported Barcelona to the RFEF over their pursuit of Antoine Griezmann. Los Colchoneros accused Barcelona of violating the relevant rules by reaching an agreement with the French forward while he was still under contract with them. That complaint also resulted in a financial penalty, with Barcelona fined just €300. The latest ruling follows a similar pattern. Although Atletico sought disciplinary action over Barcelona’s alleged approach to Alvarez, the RFEF has imposed a comparatively small fine rather than a more severe sanction. Barcelona made all possible efforts to try and sign Alvarez in the summer, but Atletico Madrid’s firm refusal to sell meant that the Argentine remained at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. As for the Blaugrana , they roped in Gabriel Jesus as a low-cost temporary fix, with plans to make a marquee striker signing in 2027.