Julián Álvarez was not even on the bench as Atlético Madrid strolled to victory at Sevilla.
Atlético insisted on Thursday that Álvarez will not be transferred to Barcelona. But the Argentina star didn’t train with his teammates for most of the week.
He was also left out of Atlético’s squad for the Spanish league opener and was booed by the team’s fans in its match Sunday, when he came on as a substitute.
“It’s a personal process,” Atlético coach Diego Simeone said of Álvarez following Saturday’s win. “We’re here to help him in a sporting sense and for him to help us, because he’s an extraordinary player.”
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In the forward’s absence, Álex Baena scored twice and Ademola Lookman the other as Atlético raced into a 3-0 halftime lead.
JORGE GUERRERO / AFP via Getty Images
It was Sevilla’s first loss of the season. Miguel Sierra scored midway through the second half but it was a mere consolation as Atlético maintained their unbeaten start to the season, moving on to seven points after three matches.
Handed his first start of the term — after coming off the bench in the win over Malaga and the draw against Villarreal — Baena vindicated Simeone’s decision.
“[Baena’s] being a game-changer,” Simeone said. “Last year he started well. The confidence, security, the joy, the emotions of the World Cup were good for him.
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“Today I was saying to him that it can help him to make the most of his potential, because he’s a difference maker. We’ll demand this level of him.”
Lee Kang-In cut in from the right before playing a cute through ball to Baena, who shot first-time across Sevilla goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos from an acute angle into the net after four minutes.
Lookman doubled the visitors’ lead after 26 minutes, collecting the ball on the left from Pablo Barrios and after shaping to fire across goal, he beat Vlachodimos at his near post from outside the box.
Sevilla were left shellshocked seven minutes later. There appeared to be little danger when Marcos Llorente passed to Baena on the edge of the area, but the Sevilla defence backed off and allowed the World Cup winner a sight at goal and he duly obliged by rifling low past Vlachodimos.
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Sevilla pulled one back in the 67th minute after Atlético failed to deal with Gabriel Suazo’s cross, allowing Sierra to send a left-foot volley home but the home side failed to make any more inroads.
As for what lies in store for Atlético ahead of the close of the transfer window on Tuesday, Simeone said: “I’m not saying it because of Julián, but I always say anything can happen, I say it every year. It’s football, something can always happen, but I’m not saying that for anything in particular.”
ESPN’s Alex Kirkland, The Associated Press and PA contributed to this report.
