The Champions League returns this week and while Manchester City will be watching on enviously from home, one former Blue will be centre stage.
Julian Alvarez departed the Etihad in the summer, in part because of a lack of minutes in the big City games - including the 2023 Champions League final. Now he's targeting a run in Europe's elite competition while City scrap to get back into it for next term.
The Argentina international joined Atletico Madrid last summer, with City and Pep Guardiola's blessing, after expressing a desire for more first team football and a new challenge. And the 25-year-old is playing his part in a fine season for Diego Simeone's side, who remain very much in the La Liga title race alongside their Champions League aspirations.
READ MORE: Andre Onana makes decision on Manchester United future
READ MORE: Bernardo Silva has made feelings clear as Man United reach 'verbal agreement' for £50m ace
But to keep their European run going they will have to do something City failed to - knock out Real Madrid. The Madrid derby is one of the standout ties in the last-16 and Alvarez, who scored against Real in the 1-1 league draw last month, will lead the line for the visitors in the Bernabeu in Tuesday night's first leg.
And he's relishing being front and centre having played second fiddle to Erling Haaland during his City career. Alvarez was restricted to a one minute cameo in City's Champions League semi-final win over Real in 2023 and was an unused sub when the Treble was secured against Inter.
"You want to play the most important matches," said Alvarez, speaking to Marca this week. "I didn't play the Champions League final (in 2023). In the semi, I played little time. And I would have liked to play those matches. A bit because of that I thought about the change.
"At City, since I arrived, they trusted me. They brought me from River to Europe. I played a lot of matches, scored many goals, we won titles. That was perfect. And if I had continued there, I would have been comfortable too. I always say that I am very grateful to the club, but I needed something. Something inside me told me that I needed a different challenge, look for something new, which was not motivation, because I will always want to push for more, but something else.
"A different challenge in my career. And I felt that here could be my place to develop better, to find my best version as a footballer. So it was a bit because of that.
"The last conversations I had with Pep were ‘Thank you very much for everything you gave us in two years. You never created problems, you didn't bring any trouble to the club. Nothing. You always gave your best’. Not a complaint. They were always words of gratitude and mine also towards the club."
