Barcelona fined €602,503 after Atlético complaint

Barcelona has been fined €602,503 by the Spanish Football Association after Atlético Madrid complained that Barcelona contacted striker Julián Álvarez without first notifying the club in writing. The sanction was imposed under Article 133 of the federation’s regulations, according to reports of the decision. Atlético alleged that Barcelona approached Álvarez before giving the written notice required when a club intends to sign a player under contract elsewhere. The Spanish FA’s underlying decision and its reasoning have not been made public in the accounts of the case, so the allegation is the reported basis for the sanction; the underlying contact has not been independently established in those accounts. Atlético also took its complaint to FIFA, which said it had no jurisdiction over the matter. The complaint to the Spanish federation was filed in July, according to one account. The fine is reported as €602,503, while Article 133 is described as covering failures to comply with regulatory obligations and classifying them as minor infractions. Álvarez remains under contract with Atlético until 2030. He drew criticism from some Atlético supporters after expressing a desire to...