Due to his participation in the 2026 World Cup final, Alvarez is still noticeably absent from the team. Why did Julian Alvarez & Álex Baena miss against Man City? Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid (Courtesy: LaLiga)Julián Álvarez and Álex Baena did not participate in Atlético Madrid’s pre-season friendly against Manchester City due to their lengthy participation representing Argentina and Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Why did Julian Alvarez & Álex Baena miss against Man City? Manchester City and Atletico Madrid played the preseason club friendly at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul, South Korea.