Roberto Gomez Critiques Barcelona and Real Madrid's Transfer Tactics

Spanish journalist Roberto Gomez has launched a fierce attack on Barcelona over their pursuit of Julian Alvarez and used the fallout from Rodri’s transfer to criticise Real Madrid’s hierarchy as well.

Speaking on La Tribu on Radio Marca, Gomez admitted he was struck by Rodri’s unveiling as a Barcelona player. The midfielder, a world champion with Spain, revealed during his presentation that he had held talks with Real Madrid officials before opting for the Camp Nou.

For Gomez, that decision exposed a major misstep in the Bernabeu offices.

“I believe Real Madrid made a grave mistake in letting Rodri leave, because he would have given the midfield a major boost,” he said, lamenting how a player of that profile slipped through their fingers.

The praise for Rodri was unqualified. Gomez called him “a world champion, a wonderful player, indeed the best,” stressing that his level had always been recognised and wishing him “every success in his new phase” in Barcelona colours.

The tone changed sharply once the conversation moved to Julian Alvarez.

Gomez insisted the Argentina forward has every right to decide his own future, but he accused Barcelona of crossing a line in their dealings with Atletico Madrid during negotiations.

According to his account, the Catalan club’s approach to the Alvarez talks broke basic codes of conduct between institutions.

“Barcelona (manoeuvred) behind Atletico’s back, and in a very despicable manner. This is unacceptable in football,” he said, his criticism hardening with every word.

He did not stop there. Gomez branded Barcelona’s behaviour “arrogant”, “conceited” and “condescending”, directly accusing the club of showing a lack of respect toward Atletico in the process.

On the other side of the saga, Florentino Perez emerged as the only figure to escape his ire.

“The only person who acted properly in all of this is Florentino Perez,” Gomez claimed, holding up the Real Madrid president as an example of how such negotiations should be handled.

By Gomez’s version, Perez first spoke to Alvarez and then contacted Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo, a sequence he presented as the correct way to conduct high-level transfer talks.

At a time when the market is shaping the balance of power in Spain, Gomez’s words leave a pointed question hanging over Barcelona and Real Madrid alike: who is really setting the standard in how the game should be run?