Few people expect a World Cup champion at a prolific age like Julian Alvarez to sit on the bench at his club. But it really happened. Since reaching the top of the world with Argentina in Qatar, Alvarez has been constantly sidelined. Even when Erling Haaland dropped in form and showed signs of catching cards, the former River Plate star was still ignored by Pep Guardiola.
The last match against Bournemouth was the rare time Alvarez was started after the 2022 World Cup, and he immediately proved his worth. Playing as a defender behind Erling Haaland in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Alvarez did not create the high-damage passes like De Bruyne or Bernardo Silva. But in return, he sniffed the space that Haaland created to punish the opponent.
One of the reasons why Erling Haaland has become so harmless in recent times lies in his teammates. The Norwegian striker always attracts at least 2 opposing players, but no star knows how to exploit the space behind, leading to Man City easily falling into a deadlock. Alvarez with his inherent scoring instinct has made everything simpler.
Tomorrow’s FA Cup tie against Bristol City is another chance for Alvarez to prove this, that he absolutely deserves more. The good news for Alvarez is that other European clubs are starting to pick up on his situation at the Etihad. Barcelona are the first team to offer to borrow Alvarez next season if the striker continues to be on the bench.
The arrival of clubs like Barcelona will make Man City, or Pep Guardiola to be exact, change his mind. Alvarez is a gem that any team wants to have and Man City is forced to find a way to keep him for a long time.
Patient like Alvarez Contrary to Joao Cancelo as well as many other big stars, Alvarez proved extremely patient at Man City. The Argentine striker shared: “Before coming here, I understood how Pep Guardiola worked. He rarely stays in the same starting line-up and you have to make sure you’re ready when you get the chance.”
