Julian Alvarez Shines in Atletico Training Session

Julian Alvarez walked out at Majadahonda on Monday looking like the same player. He did not train like the same player.

Atletico Madrid’s first session since the league clash with Athletic Bilbao followed a familiar Simeone script on the surface. The starters from San Mames stayed mostly in recovery mode, ticking through lighter exercises. The rest – substitutes and unused players – were pushed hard in an intensive workout.

Only one senior name was missing: the injured Sorloth. Everyone else reported for duty.

High-Intensity Match, High-Profile Response

Diego Simeone used the day to stage a training match with a clear purpose: pressing, winning the ball back fast, and moving it sharply. The work, as reported by Spanish outlet As, was structured, demanding, and competitive.

Julian Alvarez and Jonathan David led the line. Koke dictated the rhythm from midfield. Behind them, Dominguez, Koke, Le Normand and Dani Martinez formed the defensive unit in the exercise, giving the drill a strong spine and a match-like feel.

In that setting, Alvarez stood out.

The Argentine forward played with a freedom and aggression that had been missing in recent weeks. He dropped deep to receive the ball, demanded passes, linked play, and moved constantly between the lines. He did not hide. He wanted the ball, over and over again.

Then came the moment that underlined it all: a superb goal, born from a move strikingly similar to the one he finished at San Mames. Same instincts, same finish, same conviction.

Extra Running, Extra Noise

When the main session ended, most of his teammates eased into stretching routines. Alvarez did not stop. He stayed on with one of Atletico’s fitness coaches, running while the others wound down.

The message was obvious. He is chasing full physical sharpness and he is willing to suffer for it.

Around the pitch, voices rose in support. Teammates and staff could be heard encouraging the forward, a clear sign that the mood around him has shifted. The player who had recently been at the centre of a storm now drew applause instead of concern.

From Crisis to Reset

Not long ago, Alvarez was engulfed in controversy after pushing for a move to Barcelona, a transfer Atletico Madrid refused outright. The fallout cast a shadow over his form and his behaviour.

Monday’s session painted a different picture. His body language, his work rate, his involvement with the ball – all pointed to a player intent on resetting his story in Madrid.

The crisis has not been erased. But in Majadahonda, for the first time in weeks, Julian Alvarez looked like a forward ready to fight his way back into Simeone’s plans.