Roberto Gómez Criticizes Barcelona's Conduct in Julián Álvarez Pursuit
Spanish pundit Roberto Gómez has launched a blistering attack on Barcelona over their conduct in the pursuit of Julián Álvarez, while also accusing Real Madrid of a major misstep in allowing Rodri to slip to their great rivals.
The outspoken journalist used his appearance on La Tribu on Radio Marca to fire at both giants of Spanish football, reserving his harshest words for Barcelona’s transfer tactics.
Rodri praise, Madrid blame
Gómez began by admitting he was struck by Rodri’s unveiling as a new Barcelona player, highlighting the midfielder’s revelation that he had previously held talks with Real Madrid officials before opting for the Camp Nou.
He did not spare his criticism for the Bernabéu hierarchy.
“I believe Real Madrid made a grave mistake in letting Rodri leave, because he would have given the midfield a major boost,” Gómez argued, making clear he sees the Spain international as a transformative figure in the centre of the pitch.
The praise for Rodri himself was emphatic. Gómez called him “a world champion, a wonderful player, indeed the best,” stressing that his quality had always been appreciated and adding that he wished the midfielder “every success in his new phase” at Barcelona.
Fury over Barcelona’s Álvarez approach
The tone hardened when the discussion moved to Julián Álvarez and Barcelona’s dealings with Atlético Madrid.
Gómez underlined that the Argentina forward has every right to decide his own future. But he then tore into Barcelona’s behaviour during negotiations, accusing the Catalan club of crossing a line in their attempts to lure the striker.
According to Gómez, Barcelona “manoeuvred behind Atlético’s back, and in a very despicable manner.” He branded that approach “unacceptable in football,” insisting that there are boundaries even in the ruthless world of elite transfers.
He did not stop there. Gómez directly labelled Barcelona’s conduct as “arrogant”, “conceited” and “condescending”, turning his criticism from a single episode into a wider indictment of the club’s attitude in the market.
Florentino singled out as the only one “who acted properly”
In stark contrast, Gómez held up Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez as the lone figure to emerge with credit from the Álvarez saga.
“The only person who acted properly in all of this is Florentino Pérez,” he said, describing how, in his view, the Madrid chief first spoke to Álvarez and then later contacted Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo.
In a transfer landscape where lines between ambition and opportunism blur on a daily basis, Gómez has drawn his own: Barcelona on one side, accused of arrogance and backdoor dealing; Pérez on the other, held up as the example of how business should be done at the top of the game.
