Last Word on Football brings you the latest team news and the confirmed lineups for Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid at the Emirates in the Champions League semi-final second leg. Mikel Arteta’s team appear to have recovered following a difficult couple of weeks. Diego Simeone’s team will be buoyed by their weekend win against Valencia. Both teams stand on the precipice of a Champions League final.
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid, Team News and Confirmed Lineups
Arsenal Team News
During the pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta was asked about the availability of Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard, and said: “They are available, they are in the squad, both of them.”
“Great, because we need options, we need the capacity to play different games tomorrow, whether it’s from the start or after. So it’s really, really good news for us to have them both back,” said the Gunners boss regarding the return of Havertz and Odegaard.
Discussing Bukayo Saka’s return, Arteta said: “Great, that’s what we need when we arrive in this stage of the competition – the players not only to be available, but to be in top condition to perform and make the difference, and Bukayo will certainly give us that.”
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Atletico Madrid Team News
Diego Simeone will be missing Pablo Barrios, who remains out with a hamstring injury. Nicolas Gonzalez remains in doubt, having missed the first leg and the Valencia fixture at the weekend.
Julian Alvarez, Alexander Sorloth and Giuliano Simeone will likely all be available for this huge clash, while veteran centre-back Jose Gimenez also travelled with the squad.
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Arsenal Confirmed Lineup
Starting XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Eze, Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres.
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Setford, Mosquera, Hincapie, Odegaard, Jesus, Martinelli, Norgaard, Madueke, Havertz, Zubimendi, Dowman.
Atletico Madrid Confirmed Lineups
Starting XI: Oblak; Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Marcos Llorente, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann.
Substitutes: Musso, Giménez, Lenglet, Molina, Boñar, Díaz, Mendoza, Cardoso, Baena, Almada, Vargas, Sørloth.
Featured Image Credit:
IMAGO / Visionhaus
