Real Madrid walked into a negotiation with what most clubs would consider an absurd amount of money, €150 million, and still managed to get laughed out of the room. On June 9, Atletico Madrid rejected Real Madrid’s official bid for striker Julián Álvarez, then took to social media to twist the knife in a way only a crosstown rival can.
Atletico’s public response was short and devastating. The club posted a message aimed directly at Real Madrid that read: “You make us laugh more than Barcelona.”
Why €150M wasn’t even close
Álvarez’s release clause sits at €500 million. Atletico set the Argentine forward’s buyout at half a billion euros, which means Real Madrid’s offer covered roughly 30% of the asking price.
Atletico rejected the bid on the same day it was submitted. No deliberation, no counter-offer, no “let us think about it.”
