Atletico Madrid launched a direct dig at Barcelona on Friday, mocking their rivals' pursuit of Argentine forward Julian Alvarez. The Spanish club accused Barcelona of running a "smear campaign" against their player, referencing fabricated stories and disrespect during their recruitment efforts.

The social media tirade referenced Barcelona's alleged payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee. This isn't the first player dispute between the clubs, as tensions flared when Barcelona signed Antoine Griezmann in 2019 before he rejoined Atleti two years later.

Alvarez joined the Spanish club from Manchester City in a deal worth up to £81.5m and has responded with 20 goals in all competitions this season. The public exchange highlights the growing animosity between La Liga's biggest clubs as they compete for both players and position in the Spanish football hierarchy.