Julian Alvarez has travelled with Atletico Madrid’s squad for Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, but doubts remain about his ability to start the match.
Atletico Madrid have confirmed their squad for the trip to London this midweek, revealing a few team news updates.
For a start, Nicolas Gonzalez and Pablo Barrios are absent, so they won’t be making their injury comebacks against Arsenal on Tuesday night.
But Jose Maria Gimenez has travelled, despite missing the first leg of the semi-final and Atletico’s match against Valencia at the weekend. That suggests he’s on the verge of an injury comeback, but it may be too much to immediately throw him into the starting lineup after eight games out.
The other big news is that Julian Alvarez is in the squad, having come off early against Arsenal in the first leg before sitting out of the Valencia match at the weekend.
Diario de Noticias had reported on Monday morning that though Alvarez was expected to travel, his ability to start the match would depend on how his ankle injury evolves over the next 24 hours.
The same goes for Giuliano Simeone, who is fit to travel, but might not be fit enough to start.
Aside from the five players listed above, the expectation is that everyone else will be fit and available for selection by Diego Simeone on Tuesday night.
- Arsenal to sign striker as ‘priority’Arsenal are looking to sign a striker as a priority for the coming transfer windows, with Eli Junior Kroupi among the options being considered.
- Arsenal set Viktor Gyokeres summer sale stanceViktor Gyokeres drew interest from clubs from Spain and elsewhere over the summer, but Arsenal set a firm stance against the striker’s sale.
- Arsenal 18yos senior international appearance earns media praiseCeadach O’Neill is earning growing praise in Northern Ireland after another senior appearance added to the attention around the Arsenal teenager.
- Arsenal star takes aim at Havertz-less GermanyChristos Tzolis heads into Greece’s Nations League meeting with Germany in confident mood after helping inspire their comeback win over Serbia.
- Piero Hincapie confirms injury rumoursPiero Hincapie has explained why he missed Ecuador’s latest squad after an interrupted start to the season with Arsenal.