Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid host Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

Diego Simeone’s team lost 0-4 to Arsenal earlier this season in the Champions League group stage and will aim to put in a better performance this time in front of their home crowd.

Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal – Match preview and team news

Atletico Madrid team news

Atletico Madrid enters the first leg dealing with critical gaps in central areas. Diego Simeone will be without Pablo Barrios, whose hamstring injury likely rules him out for both legs of the semi-final.

The defence is also weakened by the continued absence of José María Giménez.

However, the frontline receives a boost with Julian Alvarez expected to return to the starting XI after being rested over the weekend.

Questions remain over the availability of Ademola Lookman and David Hancko, both of whom are undergoing late evaluations.

Simeone will have Jan Oblak in goal and Antoine Griezmann in attack. Koke is certain to be included in the starting XI along with Johnny Cardoso while Clement Lenglet will start at centre back along with either Marc Pubill or Robin Le Normand.

Arsenal team news

For Arsenal, Mikel Arteta faces a significant selection headache following the confirmed absence of Kai Havertz, who stayed in London to treat a muscular injury sustained during the game against Newcastle.

In better news, Eberechi Eze has been cleared to play despite a recent scare, and Bukayo Saka is finally in contention for a starting spot after recovering from an Achilles issue.

The Gunners remain without long-term absentees Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino, while Martin Zubimendi and Riccardo Calafiori face late fitness tests.

The squad’s depth will be tested, particularly in attack, where Viktor Gyokeres is expected to lead the line supported by Gabriel Martinelli.

Arteta will likely lean on the stability of William Saliba and Gabriel in defence to handle the hostile atmosphere at the Metropolitano, hoping that the returning Saka can provide the clinical edge needed to secure a vital away goal in this first leg.

Form

Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid’s form is unpredictable, with just two wins in their last nine matches. They recently secured a 3-2 victory over Athletic Club, but defensive lapses are evident; their six UCL knockout games this season have averaged a staggering 4.7 total goals per game. Remarkably, they have already netted 34 goals this Champions League season—a club record. While vulnerable, they remain a “knockout beast” at home, having never lost a UCL knockout match to an English side at the Metropolitano.

Arsenal

Arsenal enters the semi-final having just reclaimed the Premier League top spot with a 1-0 win over Newcastle. Despite a rocky April with two league losses, they remain the only unbeaten team in this Champions League campaign. Statistically, they lead the tournament with eight clean sheets. However, offensive output has dipped; the Gunners haven’t scored more than once in any of their last seven competitive matches, relying heavily on a defence that has conceded just five goals in 12 UCL games.

Predicted lineups

Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Cardoso, Gonzalez; Griezmann, Alvarez

Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli

How to watch Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal?

In the UK, the match is live on TNT Sports 1. Streaming is available for subscribers through the discovery+ app.

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