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Barcelona is the party involved in both cases
Although Atletico Madrid are protesting against Barcelona over allegations of “contact” with Julian Alvarez, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has no authority to intervene in the crisis. The reason is purely legal: both clubs belong to the same Spanish federation, and history repeats itself, as happened with Griezmann in 2019.
Julián Alvarez’s comments following Argentina’s victory sparked widespread controversy after he admitted that “a transfer is the best” to achieve his “dream”, a clear indication of his desire to leave Atletico Madrid. The announcements have led the Rojiblancos to consider filing a complaint against Barcelona for alleged contact with the player, despite a contract extension until 2030 and a €500m release clause.
But the legal surprise is that FIFA cannot intervene in the case even if Atlético Madrid appeals, as I mentioned.Mundo Deportivo:The Players’ Status and Transfers Regulations clearly state that “the transfer of players between clubs of the same federation is subject to specific regulations established by the respective federation”, and as Barcelona and Atlético are affiliated with the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the issue is entirely local.
Article 18 of the FIFA Regulations states that “a club wishing to sign a professional player must notify his current club in writing of his intention before entering into negotiations with him”. It also prohibits direct contact with the player except in the last six months of his contract, and any breach subjects the club to severe disciplinary action, provided the contact is documented.
Griezmann’s precedent is repeated
The most obvious such scenario occurred in the summer of 2019 with Antoine Griezmann, when Atletico Madrid complained to the Spanish Federation, accusing Barcelona of signing the French forward. At that time, FIFA could not intervene, and the complaint ended with a fine of only 300 euros for the Catalan club.
Spain’s competition commission could not prove that Griezmann signed for Barcelona while his contract with Atletico was still valid, but found that Barcelona had started negotiations without prior written notice. However, the breach was not described as “serious” as talks began in May after the Frenchman announced his desire to leave.
When will FIFA intervene?
FIFA does not intervene unless the player himself is in breach of contract, in which case the Catalan club can be punished if proven to have instigated the breach. The fine can amount to a ban on registering new players for two transfer periods.
Alvarez is currently in a ‘protection period’ as his contract, signed in the summer of 2024, has a three-year extension until June 2027 as he is under 28, and any breach of contract during this period allows the new club to sign up for two full terms.
However, Alvarez does not want to terminate his contract unilaterally, as he will have to pay compensation to Atlético for the remaining years and is also banned from playing for his new club for 4 months, a ban that takes effect from the start of the season and does not affect his participation with the Argentina national team.
