Manchester City's Julian Alvarez Joins Argentina's Olympics Team, Set To Miss Season Start

Julian Alvarez of Manchester City has been selected for Argentina's Olympics squad for the Paris Games. This likely means he will miss the start of the 2024-25 Premier League season. Alvarez, currently at the Copa America with La Albiceleste, is one of three overage players in Javier Mascherano's 18-man squad, alongside Geronimo Rulli and Nicolas Otamendi.

The Copa America final is scheduled just 10 days before the Olympics begin. Mascherano's team will face Morocco, Iraq, and Ukraine in the group stage in France. The Olympic final is on August 9, a day before Manchester City's Community Shield match against Manchester United. This timing almost certainly rules Alvarez out of the start of the new season.

Last season, Alvarez played 54 matches across all competitions for Pep Guardiola's team, more than any other player. He has not had a break from football yet. Manchester City’s Premier League campaign kicks off on August 18th against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Claudio Echeverri is also part of Argentina's squad. The teenager joined Manchester City in January but was loaned back to River Plate immediately. Additionally, Sergio Gomez has been called up by Spain for the competition. This means Guardiola will have three players participating in this summer's games in Paris.

#JuegosOlmpicos Estos son los jugadores convocados por el entrenador Javier Mascherano para competir en Pars 2024 Vamos Argentina! pic.twitter.com/20o9HHw4AJ

— Seleccin Argentina (@Argentina) July 2, 2024

Alvarez’s involvement in both Copa America and the Olympics highlights his importance to Argentina’s national teams. His absence at the start of Manchester City's season could impact their early performance.

The inclusion of these players in their national squads underscores their talent and importance on an international level. Fans will be watching closely to see how they perform in Paris and how their absence affects their club teams.

This situation presents a challenge for Guardiola as he prepares his squad for the upcoming season without some key players. Adjustments will be necessary to maintain performance levels during their absence.