Minimal fine for Barcelona in Julián Álvarez case

Barcelona fined €602 by Spanish FA for approaching Atlético Madrid player Julián Álvarez without notifying his club first.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has resolved a complaint filed by Atlético Madrid against Barcelona for allegedly approaching Julián Álvarez, a player under contract with Atlético, without first notifying the club in writing as required by competition regulations.

Barcelona has been fined €602 under Article 133 of the RFEF rulebook, which covers breaches of regulatory obligations. The fine is the minimum penalty available under that article. The case could not be handled by FIFA as it lacks jurisdiction over domestic Spanish matters.

This mirrors a 2019 case when Atlético Madrid complained about Barcelona signing Antoine Griezmann, which resulted in a €300 fine. The RFEF regulations require clubs to formally notify a player's current club in writing before beginning negotiations.