What happened: Barcelona president Joan Laporta said the club holds "a lot of respect" for Atlético Madrid and insisted Barcelona did not force Julián Álvarez into anything. He noted that any tweets came before Álvarez spoke about his dream of playing for a big club, and stressed the forward never mentioned Barcelona by name.

Why it matters: The remarks come amid speculation linking Álvarez with a move away from Atlético, with Barcelona among the clubs floated. Laporta is working to cool tampering accusations while keeping the door open, saying the player had been on Barcelona's radar even before his switch to Atlético.

What to watch: Watch whether Atlético hold firm on Álvarez's valuation and how the forward's camp responds as the summer window develops.