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Atletico Madrid launched a series of mocking social media posts aimed at Barcelona this week, following rumors that the Catalan club had submitted a €100 million (US$117 million) bid for their striker Julián Álvarez.
Atletico posted a series of tweets on X on Friday. One reads: "HERE WE GO! We have sent a fax to @FCBarcelona with our transfer offer: four tickets for tomorrow's Bad Bunny concert, an annual year subscription to ABC, and a bag of sunflower seeds. We eagerly await the response to prepare the ‘announce’."
The post, which amassed over 10 million views in just one hour, targeted 18-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal, who is considered Barca’s most important player and one of the best in the world. It was a satirical response to circulating reports that Barcelona were trying to sign Atletico’s main striker, Álvarez.
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Atletico Madrid posted photos of Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Pedri wearing their jerseys to mock Barcelona on social media on May 29, 2026. Photo by X/@Atleti |
Earlier in the week, prominent transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Barcelona had submitted a €100 million bid to Atletico, which was allegedly rejected.
Atletico have completely denied this information.
According to Spanish media, officials at the Metropolitano Stadium confirmed they had received no such offer from Barcelona, dismissing the rumor as "another lie."
The Madrid-based club did not stop at Yamal. They continued to dig at Barca by making an offer for midfielder Pedri.
"Here we go! For this second offer, we encountered a problem: we no longer have tickets for tomorrow’s concert. We have therefore improved our previous proposal by offering you 6 tickets for Sunday," the club posted, accompanied by a photo of the 23-year-old star.
Brazilian winger Raphinha also became a target.
"And to complete the 3-in-1, we got into the game and we’re going to throw the little house out the window: the player arrives on loan for a season and in exchange, we sell Tom Ford and Smith without a purchase option. Irresistible offer," Atletico wrote.
The inclusion of "Tom Ford and Smith" was a reference for longtime fans, recalling a famous joke made years ago by Atletico president Enrique Cerezo regarding two entirely fictitious players named Ford and Smith.
Atletico also took to Instagram to explicitly explain the meaning behind the bizarre series of posts.
"And remember, it took us just five minutes to create this fake post. We live in an era where reality can be altered. Don’t believe everything you see, especially if it’s related to Barca," the club wrote.
Many fans noted that the posts were also a direct jab at Romano, who famously uses the catchphrase "Here we go!" to confirm transfer deals. Atletico specifically mimicked the Italian journalist's signature catchphrase, from the capitalized letters to the dramatic phrasing of the announcements.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Atletico's management is increasingly frustrated by the constant speculation surrounding Álvarez. The Argentine striker joined the club in the summer of 2024 and holds a contract until 2030. That contract features a massive €500 million release clause.
The club maintains that Álvarez is strictly not for sale, choosing to respond with social media rather than a formal press release.
By using Barcelona's brightest stars in their response, Atletico sent a clear message: any attempt by Barcelona to buy Álvarez is just as unrealistic as trying to purchase Yamal with concert tickets and sunflower seeds.
