Simeone won't compare Alvarez to Suarez
Diego Simeone refused to compare Julian Alvarez to former Atletico Madrid hero Luis Suarez on the eve of a Supercopa de Espana showdown with Real Madrid.
Alvarez started the 2025-2026 season brightly but has since endured a downturn in form, only scoring once in his past seven appearances across all competitions and providing one assist.
The Supercopa could represent Atleti's best chance of winning silverware this season, given it is already 11 points adrift of leader Barcelona in LaLiga and is not yet assured of automatic qualification for the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
Atleti's most recent trophy win came when it claimed the LaLiga title in 2020-2021, helped by a series of crucial goals from Uruguay legend Suarez.
Suarez got the decisive goal in 2-1 victories over both Osasuna and Real Valladolid in the final two matchdays, helping Atleti edge out Real Madrid by two points and leading Simeone to describe those big moments as "the Luis Suarez zone".
But when asked if Alvarez lacked the big-game nous of Suarez, Simeone refused to bite.
"It is not worth repeating phrases from the past. Those come naturally, and at that moment that came out for me," he said.
"Julian has already shown the footballer he is. Many times, words are not enough, and only deeds are useful. Let's hope he has a great game."
One of Alvarez's standout performances in an Atletico shirt came when it faced Madrid most recently in LaLiga in September last year.
He became only the second Atleti player to score both a penalty and a direct free-kick in the same LaLiga match in the 21st Century, after Suarez against Cadiz in January 2021, in a crushing 5-2 victory for Simeone's side.
But Simeone does not expect that statement victory to have any bearing on Friday's (AEDT) semi-final tie, saying: "I always think the same thing – that every game is different.
"The match at the Metropolitano will not be related to tomorrow's game. Each one has its own virtues. We will have to play the game we believe in to continue in this competition."
Simeone was also asked if he was open to coaching in the Saudi Pro League in the future, ahead of the Supercopa's sixth staging in the country.
The Argentinean is open to that prospect, saying: "We, as coaches, can never close doors.
"We understand that football and life can change continuously. From the place I am in, I do not close any doors."
