Mansion Sports – Barcelona star Dani Olmo admitted that he is confused about the situation that prevented Argentina international Julian Alvarez from joining the Catalan giants this summer.

Although the forward appeared to want a move to Spotify Camp Nou, Atletico Madrid remained firm in refusing to negotiate with their direct rivals in domestic competition.

Olmo Questions Atletico Madrid’s Stance

Olmo returned to his hometown of Terrassa this week to celebrate Spain’s recent World Cup triumph, but discussions quickly turned to the club’s transfer activity during the summer.

The 28-year-old was specifically asked about Alvarez, the former Manchester City forward who was heavily linked with a move to Catalonia before Atletico Madrid firmly blocked the transfer, rejecting an offer of more than €100 million and refusing to negotiate with their domestic rivals despite the player wanting to join Barca.

Speaking to the media during his return to his hometown, Olmo made no attempt to hide his surprise at the way decision-makers at the Metropolitano handled the situation.

When asked whether he understood Atletico’s hard-line stance regarding the negotiations, Olmo replied: “Honestly, I do not understand it. In the end, we all have dreams. I think Julian was also clear about that.”

“He fought for his dream, but in the end there are also other external circumstances that a person cannot control. In that regard, this was clearly one of them. But life goes on. It does not stop.”

Building a Future Without Alvarez

Although failing to secure the Argentine forward was a blow to Barcelona’s long-term planning, Olmo remains confident that Hansi Flick’s squad has enough depth to compete for prestigious trophies.

The Blaugrana have invested heavily in this transfer window by bringing in players such as Anthony Gordon, Rodri, and Gabriel Jesus to strengthen their squad.

“Personally, a very good year awaits us, that is certain, with a lot of competition, because other clubs have also strengthened themselves very well, but I think we have a squad capable of competing,” Olmo explained.

Champions League Ambitions and Domestic Dominance

Looking ahead to the new season, the former RB Leipzig player has set a target of maintaining Barcelona’s dominance in Spanish football while finally making a significant impact on the European stage.

Barcelona made a perfect start to the domestic season, securing three victories from their first three La Liga matches.

Olmo featured in all three matches, although he is still searching for his first goal contribution of the season.

Nevertheless, the Champions League remains the team’s primary trophy target after struggling in the knockout stages in recent years.

“There are new goals, to keep winning, to continue defending the La Liga, Copa, and Supercopa titles,” Olmo said. He emphasized that the main objective is to “pursue the Champions League, because we have a strong enough team.”

He also discussed the fierce rivalry with Real Madrid, saying: “It is always like that. Real Madrid are a team that have strengthened themselves very well, with great players. So have we. In the end, the goal for both of us is to win everything.”

“We will fight for what we have, as we always do. We have had two very successful years at the national level and now we also want to achieve success in Europe. That is our goal.”

Respecting the Club’s Decision and Team Unity

The homecoming event also gave Olmo an opportunity to discuss the cancellation of a tribute that had previously been planned at Spotify Camp Nou for the club’s players who became World Cup champions.

Barcelona chose to cancel the ceremony following the arrest of a member during a match in Elche, a decision that was accepted by the players without complaint.

“In the end, the club decided that it was not the best time to do it,” the playmaker said.

“As players, we ultimately respected it. We know that the club appreciates us 100% for the World Cup we won. They felt that after everything that happened, the situation was not perfect. In the end, the decision deserves to be respected; it is not a problem.”