Ateltico Madrid have several injury concerns for the second leg of their Champions League clash with Arsenal
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone gave little away after injury blows to Julian Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone and Alexander Sorloth in the first leg of the Champions League clash with Arsenal, hinting all three would be fit for the second leg next week. The semi-final is finely poised heading into the return leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Viktor Gyokeres scored from the penalty spot before half-time, before Atleti equalised through Alvarez from their own spot kick.
The Argentinian dispatched comfortably from the spot, as the Gunners got a close view of what he could bring to north London next season amid ongoing transfer speculation linking him with the club.
However, Alvarez was replaced with 13 minutes remaining after a challenge from Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old was in visible pain as he hobbled off the pitch.
When asked for an update on the trio of injured stars and how they were, Diego Simeone said: “Well, knowing them, they’ll definitely be there on Tuesday.
“I don’t think there will be anyone that will not be playing on Tuesday. I suppose they might be feeling some physical discomfort now.
“Giuliano from a knock, Julian from the fall he had in the middle of the pitch and Sorloth with a hamstring strain, but I have no doubt they’ll be there.”
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Atletico are set to face Valencia on Saturday in La Liga, before heading to London for the second leg against the Gunners on Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether Alvaraez, Sorloth or Simeone will be passed fit to play.
As for Arsenal, Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino all missed the first leg in Madrid. Arteta originally claimed Netherlands international Timber was fit to feature, before correcting his mistake.
“We don’t know yet,” Arteta said when asked about Timber’s potential return. “He’s doing some stuff on the pitch at the moment, but we need to get the gears up and be able to do more things before he can compete with us.”
Arsenal are just one win away from their first Champions League Final since 2006 and Arteta was pleased with his team’s performance.
He said: “I’m very proud and I said that to the boys, the way we handled the context for nine-and-a-half months is just remarkable, and I really value what they’ve done because I’ve seen some of the best teams in the world here fall apart and concede three and four.
“We didn’t get the result that we wanted. We wanted to win it. But at least it is in our hands, in front of our people.
“We want to be in that final and in a week’s time we are going to have the opportunity to do that.”
