Diego Simeone rates Julian Alvarez's chances of playing 2nd leg vs Arsenal after injury scare | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has spoken out on the Julian Alvarez injury situation as he went off in last night’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Alvarez is a star player for Simeone’s side, and scored from the penalty spot in yesterday’s Champions League semi-final first leg before having to go off 13 minutes from time.

That will have been a big worry for Atletico fans ahead of the second leg of this tie next week, but it seems the Argentina international should be fit enough to play at the Emirates Stadium.

Speaking after last night’s game, Simeone made it clear he wasn’t too worried about Alvarez or any other player’s fitness, saying he expected everyone to be available for the trip to north London.

Diego Simeone provides Julian Alvarez injury update

“I don’t think there will be anyone that will not be playing on Tuesday,” Simeone said, as quoted by the Metro.

“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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Alvarez has 20 goals in 48 games in all competitions this season, with ten of those coming in the Champions League.

The 26-year-old will surely be key for Atletico if they are to stand any chance of making it to the Champions League final, while Arsenal fans would surely have felt a lot better if their team could avoid playing against him again next week.

Who will win the Champions League?

Both semi-final ties are evenly poised after the first leg encounters this week, so it’s hard to make any predictions at this stage about who will be going through.

Paris Saint-Germain only have a one-goal lead over Bayern Munich after that thrilling 5-4 at the Parc des Princes, and one imagines Vincent Kompany’s side might still be slight favourites as they have the second leg at home.

Arsenal, meanwhile, beat Atletico 4-0 at the Emirates in the league phase earlier this season, so might be the slight favourites in their game as well, though Simeone’s side can never be underestimated and have improved a lot since that meeting earlier in the campaign.