Tigre · Defender · #24 · Argentina · 31 yrs
Barcelona’s admiration for Julian Alvarez is no secret, with the club identifying him as the long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.The Pole has been Barca’s No. 9 for the past four seasons ...
Barcelona’s strategy in the goalscoring department has kept shifting so far this summer. From eyeing a move for Julian Alvarez as a direct replacement for Robert Lewandowski, the club appear to be r...
Mexico managed to demonstrate their individual quality and collective brilliance, defeating South Korea 2-0. Despite this, head coach Javier Aguirre revealed that he was frustrated with the team's performance and justified César Montes' red card, explaining an issue within the team. Demonstrating their individual quality, Mexico managed to defeat South Africa. To do this, Julián Quiñones emerged as a key figure, being the central axis of the offensive side. Along with this, they managed to constantly press their opponent, leaving them without ideas throughout the game. Despite this, head coach Javier Aguirre was very critical, making known the aspects he did not like and defending César Montes over his red card. “The game was expected to be 4-0…the nerves were a huge problem… I didn’t like the first half. They had the ball a lot. One more goal should have come. The sending-off of (César) Montes complicated things a bit. We lost the ball up front in a naïve way that irritates me. Then César had to take the risk,” Mexico‘s Javier Aguirre said in the post-game interview. Despite Mexico’s victory, there were several phases of the match that were quite evenly contested, something that did not please the head coach. With South Korea as their next opponent in the 2026 World Cup, they are looking for a much more dominant performance, especially in midfield, where they were unable to establish superiority. In addition, the defensive gaps were exploited by their opponents, something that could prove costly against the Asian side. César Montes’ red card did not destabilize Mexico’s victory, but it does expose defensive issues ahead of the match against South Korea. With their high press, they gain control, but they also leave space behind their defense, allowing quick teams to shine. Because of this, the 29-year-old defender’s red card exposes how fragile their stability can be against a dribbling, fast, and clinical team like the Asian side, their next opponent. Cesar Montes #3 of Mexico is tackled by Khuliso Mudau #20 of South Africa. Head coach Aguirre picks Montes replacement for South Korea game Even though Mexico managed to secure their first victory at the 2026 World Cup, they now have to face one of the toughest opponents in their group: South Korea. Without César Montes as the leader of the defensive line, they could struggle more than expected. While they have Luis Romo as a quality alternative, head coach Javier Aguirre has chosen Edson Álvarez as his replacement in central defense. “After César (Montes)’ red card, it is very likely that Edson (Álvarez) will play as a center-back,” said Aguirre in the latest press conference. With the 28-year-old star, they would gain incredible ball progression, defensive solidity, and brilliant tactical awareness. Although he does not arrive with much competitive rhythm from Fenerbahçe, he already impressed in the limited minutes he played and could do so again against South Korea.
With the official lineups released for the opening game of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Africa, Edson Alvarez's absence in the starting XI raised questions among the fans Mexico and South Africa are set to clash on Thursday, June 11, to kick off the 2026 World Cup in front of a raucous, sellout crowd at the iconic Estadio Azteca. When the starting lineups were unveiled an hour before kickoff, eyebrows were immediately raised across North America as superstar midfielder Edson Alvarez was noticeably absent from El Tri’s starting XI. Alvarez has been left out of the lineup against South Africa due to a purely tactical decision by manager Javier Aguirre. While the West Ham standout has fully recovered from a recent ankle injury, a lack of game fitness and competitive minutes ahead of the tournament prompted the head coach to opt for other options to open the tournament. Against South Africa, Erik Lira will anchor the spine of the midfield in Alvarez’s place, while center-back Cesar Montes will assume leadership duties on the pitch, wearing the captain’s armband. Nevertheless, expectations remain high that the veteran midfielder will come off the bench to see some action in the second half, a strategy Aguirre mirrored during the team’s pre-World Cup warm-up friendlies. Alvarez’s ankle injury, a constant concern throughout the 2025-26 season Despite his status as the anchor of the engine room and captain of the Mexican national team, Edson Alvarez’s right ankle has turned into a major obstacle on his road to top fitness for the World Cup. His problems began to compound in early 2026, to the point that he was limited to just a handful of appearances for Fenerbahçe during the calendar year. Edson Alvarez of Fenerbahce. In mid-February, in order to resolve his recurrent discomfort and save his World Cup dream, Alvarez underwent corrective surgery on his ankle. The midfielder finally made his long-awaited return to the pitch nearly three months later on May 2 against Istanbul Basaksehir, where he was eased into action for just a single minute. Forgoing any post-season vacation, Alvarez immediately flew to Mexico to join Aguirre’s training camp in mid-May to focus entirely on his rehabilitation. He gradually built up his match fitness by featuring in all three of Mexico’s pre-World Cup international friendlies leading up to the tournament. He was subbed on at halftime during the clash against Ghana on May 22, logged 60 crucial minutes as a starter in a 1-0 victory over Australia, and completed his warm-up cycle by coming off the bench in the second half of a 5-1 rout against Serbia.
Real Madrid’s extraordinary public confirmation of their rejected €150 million bid for Julian Alvarez last night has triggered a dogfight between three of Spain’s biggest clubs. In that statemen...
Barcelona’s hopes of signing Julian Alvarez this summer have been dealt another blow, with journalist Ruben Uria unravelling the key details of the transfer saga. Uria suggests Atletico Madrid’s p...
Although the Real Madrid leg of the Julian Alvarez appears to be over, with the Los Blancos unlikely to come up with an improved offer, Barcelona’s problems remain.Atletico Madrid have shown a stron...
Barcelona are preparing to step up their pursuit of Julian Alvarez, with the club willing to improve its proposal for the Atletico Madrid striker. According to SPORT journalist Carlos Monfort, the Bl...
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has ruled out a summer sale of Julian Alvarez. The Argentina international has been linked with both Real Madrid and Barcelona, while Real Madrid has already seen a huge offer rejected by its city rival. According to Sky Sports, Real Madrid made a €150 million bid for Alvarez, but Atletico […] The post Atletico Madrid rules out Alvarez sale appeared first on SoccerNews.
