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Diego Simeone has provided an update on Julian Alvarez’s fitness following a late injury during Atlético Madrid’s semi-final first leg against Arsenal.
The Argentine striker was forced off the field at the end of the 1-1 draw at the Metropolitano, sparking fears he could miss the second leg in London next week.
Simeone confident about Alvarez availability
The Atléti hierarchy faced an anxious wait on Wednesday evening after their star striker limped off the match with just 13 minutes remaining.
The World Cup winner appeared to trap his ankle during a challenge with Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze and was visibly distressed before being substituted.
Despite the worrying scenes on the touchline, Simeone was quick to downplay the severity of the problem during his post-match media duties.
“Well, knowing them, they will definitely be there on Tuesday,” the Atléti coach told reporters when asked about his growing injury list. “I don’t think there will be anyone who won’t play on Tuesday.”
Atlético stars face a race against time
Alvarez was not the only casualty during a deadly night in the Spanish capital as the hosts count the cost of a physical encounter.
Giuliano Simeone is out with a knock, while Alexander Sorloth has not featured at all as he recovers from injury.
Simeone explained the specific nature of the complaints, saying: “I guess maybe they are feeling some physical discomfort now. Giuliano because of a hit, Julian because of his fall in midfield and Sorloth with a hamstring strain, but I have no doubt they will be there.”
Off-field drama surrounds semi-final
The match itself was preceded by significant tensions between the two sides regarding the state of the playing field.
In what has been described as a “turf war”, Arsenal have reportedly asked UEFA for a formal inspection of the height of the turf just hours before kick-off, fearing Simeone’s side are looking to slow down their passing game.
The tactical battle continued on the pitch, where Viktor Gyokeres gave the Gunners the lead from the penalty spot.
Alvarez eventually leveled the scores with a clinical kick of his own, although his night ended prematurely after the collision with Eze.
The return match well prepared for London
With the tie on the razor’s edge at 1-1, Atlético face a quick turnaround before heading to north London.
They are set to face Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, a match which will likely see Simeone rotate his team to protect those who land blows.
The priority remains to ensure that Alvarez, Giuliano and Sorloth are 100% for the second leg.
As the Gunners prepare to host Atlético on a surface that Mikel Arteta hopes will be more conducive to his side’s style, Alvarez’s fitness remains the main talking point.
If the 26-year-old is fit to start as Simeone predicts, he will remain the main threat to Arsenal’s hopes of reaching their first Champions League final since 2006.
