MADRID, June 10 — Real Madrid said yesterday that Atletico Madrid had rejected the club’s offer of 150 million euros (US$173 million) for Argentine forward Julian Alvarez.

“After reviewing and evaluating the offer, Club Atletico de Madrid has expressed its gratitude for the proposal... and has rejected it,” Real Madrid said in a statement.

A World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022 and formerly of Manchester City, the 26-year-old Alvarez joined Atletico in 2024. He is under contract until June 2030, with a release clause estimated at 500 million euros.

Included in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, Alvarez scored eight goals last season in La Liga and 10 in the Champions League, where Atletico were eliminated in the semi-finals by Arsenal.

“After studying and evaluating it, Atletico de Madrid thanked the club for the offer made, in keeping with the good relations between our two clubs, but rejected it,” Real Madrid said in a statement.

Atletico Madrid scoffed at the Real statement.

“You may have confused politeness with gratitude, but to be clear: we don’t thank you for anything. We neither studied nor considered any offer for Julian. You make us laugh even more than Barcelona do,” Atletico said in reply to Real in a social media post.

Re-elected on Sunday as Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez had promised during his election campaign that he would make a big-name signing.

Spanish media had reported that the target was Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise.

But the German club said they would not be selling their French international.

“If Florentino Perez wants to send us an offer, which has not happened so far, he can save himself the trouble,” said Bayern president Herbert Hainer. — AFP

LILLE, June 1 — Lille announced today that Brazil assistant coach David Ancelotti, the son of Carlo, would be their new coach, a week after Bruno Genesio’s departure.

Ancelotti has signed a two-year deal with the French club but they did not say if he would leave his role in his father’s Brazil coaching staff before the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19.

The 36-year-old is in line for his second spell as a head coach having spent six months at Brazilian outfit Botafogo last year.

“I’m very proud and happy,” Ancelotti said. “It’s an honour to represent Lille.

“They are a serious, ambitious, competitive club who are regularly playing European football,” the AC Milan academy product said.

Lille will feature in the Champions League next season after finishing third in Ligue 1, 15 points behind winners Paris Saint-Germain.

The new Ligue 1 campaign begins on the weekend of August 22-23. — AFP

PARIS, June 1 — France said today that nearly 900 people had been arrested in riots that broke out after Paris Saint-Germain club won the coveted Champions League for a second consecutive year over the weekend.

“We’ve had more than 890 arrests. In total, that’s 45 per cent more than last year,” Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told broadcaster France Inter, adding that nearly 180 law enforcement officers had been injured.

Celebrations were blighted by clashes between youths and police in Paris and other cities, cars set on fire and shops looted.

Yesterday evening, President Emmanuel Macron received the team at the Elysee Palace. While he said PSG were an “immense pride” for France, he denounced the “unspeakable” violence.

“Enough. We are fed up,” he said.

“This is not football, this is not sport, this is not what we love,” he added.

One man died riding his motorbike around the Paris ring road in celebration while authorities reported stabbings and other attacks. — AFP