The Royal Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee has opened an extraordinary disciplinary procedure against Barcelona over the club’s alleged contact with Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, the federation confirmed Thursday.
The case stems from a complaint Atletico filed with both the RFEF and FIFA on June 30. Atletico’s board accused Barcelona of contacting Alvarez outside the period permitted by transfer regulations, noting the Argentina forward remains under contract in Madrid until June 2030.
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The RFEF has appointed an investigating officer to examine the case documentation and lead the proceedings. Both clubs now have a window to submit their arguments and supporting evidence before the committee reaches a ruling.
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Barcelona’s board, led by president Joan Laporta, has characterized the notification as a standard procedural step in this type of dispute and says it expects to defend its position during the investigation phase.
The dispute has run alongside months of transfer speculation. Barcelona has made a formal offer for the 26-year-old, who has emerged as the club’s top attacking target, but Atletico’s hierarchy has so far refused to negotiate a sale. Alvarez, for his part, indicated during this summer’s World Cup that he is open to a new challenge.
The timeline adds pressure to an already tense standoff. Alvarez is due back at Atletico’s training ground on August 10 for the start of preseason, a date that could force clarity on his future one way or another. Barcelona is reportedly exploring alternative attacking targets in case the deal fails to progress before the market moves on.
Neither the RFEF nor FIFA has set a timeline for a ruling on the disciplinary case. The outcome could carry financial or sporting sanctions for Barcelona depending on what the investigation into the contact allegations finds, though no punishment has been determined at this stage.
For now, the case adds a regulatory complication to a transfer saga already defined by Atletico’s resistance and Barcelona’s persistence, with August 10 looming as the next point at which the situation may come into sharper focus.
