Martín Zubimendi

Player headlines

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid: Confirmed lineups for second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals

worldsoccertalk.com · 2 days ago

Arsenal and Atletico Madrid will be clashing for the UEFA Champions League semifinals at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal host Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, May 5, for the decisive second leg of the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League semifinals. While both powerhouse clubs are navigating nagging fitness concerns, they are each expected to push their stars to the limit to secure a ticket to the final in Budapest. The Gunners struck first in the opening leg after David Hancko was whistled for a foul on Viktor Gyokeres inside the area, with the striker clinicaly converting in the 44th minute. However, Atletico showed their trademark resilience, leveling the score after a Benjamin White handball gifted Julian Alvarez a penalty of his own to knot the game. Following the 1-1 draw at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, the tie will be decided in North London. This marks the third meeting between Arsenal and Atletico this season; their first clash came during the UCL league phase, where the Gunners cruised to a dominant 4-0 victory at the Emirates, a result Mikel Arteta’s side will be desperate to replicate. Injury updates and key returns A major concern for Atletico Madrid following the first leg was the health of Julian Alvarez, though manager Diego Simeone was quick to downplay the severity of the Argentine’s second-half exit. Additionally, Alexander Sorloth, who missed the first leg due to discomfort, was rested over the weekend and is expected to be at peak fitness for Tuesday’s clash. Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid is challenged by Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice of Arsenal. Los Colchoneros traveled from Spain to England with a 21-man squad, missing only Nicolas Gonzalez and midfielder Pablo Barrios. On a positive note, veteran defender Jose Maria Gimenez has recovered from an injury sustained in early April and is expected to provide a defensive boost from the substitutes’ bench. On the Gunners’ side, Mikel Arteta confirmed during Monday’s press conference that both Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard are fit and available. The most notable absences remain Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber; Merino is sidelined for the remainder of the season, while Timber continues to struggle with ongoing fitness issues. Confirmed lineups for Arsenal and Atletico Madrid Arsenal’s confirmed lineup (4-3-3): David Raya; Benjamin White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori; Eberechi Eze, Miles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard.Head coach: Mikel Arteta. Atletico Madrid’s confirmed lineup (4-4-2): Jan Oblak; Marc Pubill, Robin Le Normand, David Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Marcos Llorente, Koke, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez.Head coach: Diego Simeone.

›↗

Analysis: Perfect display sets up Champions League test

sports.yahoo.com · 5 days ago

This match could not have gone any better for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta. With Manchester City having been in FA Cup action last week and not playing until Monday, they made the most of their chance to extend their lead in top spot and ease relieve some of the tension. Boss Arteta has to be given credit for taking what could be perceived as risk by playing left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield for the first time and leaving out Martin Zubimendi, who has played the most minutes of any outfielder in the Gunners squad.

›↗

Julian Alvarez reportedly receives positive injury update after surpassing Lionel Messi in UCL goalscoring record

worldsoccertalk.com · last week

After being forced off the game against Arsenal and surpassing a Lionel Messi goalscoring record in the UEFA Champions League, Julian Alvarez has reportedly received a positive injury update. Julian Alvarez made headlines on Wednesday for two very different reasons, finding the net against Arsenal before being forced off with an injury. Despite the concern that followed his exit, reports have emerged with an encouraging update on the striker’s condition, and he did so after eclipsing a Lionel Messi record in the UEFA Champions League. With Atletico Madrid searching for an equalizer in the second half, Marcos Llorente won a penalty after the ball struck Ben White’s hand in the box, and Alvarez stepped up to convert in the 56th minute. The mood quickly shifted in the 74th minute, however, when Eberechi Eze landed heavily on Alvarez’s knee and ankle after a challenge, sending the Argentine to the ground in obvious discomfort. He was replaced by Alex Baena in the 78th minute. Despite visibly showing concern on the substitutes’ bench, Argentine journalist and insider Gaston Edul has confirmed that Alvarez’s situation is “nothing to worry about.” The striker came off due to a momentary twist and will undergo further testing, but the early indications point to a minor issue rather than anything more significant. Head coach Diego Simeone also addressed Alvarez’s condition in his post-match comments on Movistar+. “They will perform a test on Thursday to see what the issue is. We hope it’s as minor as possible,” he said, before adding in the press conference that he expects the Argentine to be available for the second leg. Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid is challenged by Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice of Arsenal. Simeone also shed light on the broader injury situation within the squad following the first leg. “Giuliano had a collision with Piero Hincapie at the start, a blow to the waist that was bothering him a lot. Let’s hope that is also minor. Alexander Sorloth said his leg was bothering him during the warmup, and we protected him so as not to force anything,” the coach said. Alvarez surpasses Messi’s record in the Champions League With 10 goals and four assists in 14 games, Alvarez is in the midst of his finest personal run in the Champions League, and his fitness for the second leg at the Emirates Stadium next Tuesday will be crucial for Atletico’s hopes of reaching the final. In the process, he has also left a significant mark in the record books. His goal against Arsenal made Julian Alvarez the fastest Argentine player to reach 25 Champions League goals, achieving the milestone in 41 games. Lionel Messi had previously held that mark, having taken 42 matches to reach the same tally during his time at Barcelona. Messi remains far ahead at the summit of the all-time Champions League scoring chart for Argentine players, with an extraordinary 129 goals in 163 appearances. Di Stefano sits second with 49 and Sergio Agüero third with 41, but Alvarez has now climbed into a share of fourth place with 25 goals, level with Hernan Crespo, who needed 65 games, and Lautaro Martinez, who took 66 appearances to reach the same mark, a testament not only to Alvarez’s elite form but to his growing legacy in Argentine soccer history.

Why isn’t Bukayo Saka playing? Confirmed lineups for Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal in UCL semifinals

worldsoccertalk.com · last week

With Arsenal clashing against Atletico Madrid for the 25-26 UEFA Champions League semifinals, Bukayo Saka will be one of the big names in question for the game. Arsenal travel to Madrid on Wednesday for the first leg of their 2025-26 UEFA Champions League semifinal against Atletico at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. With a place in the final on the line, the availability of Bukayo Saka has been one of the most pressing questions heading into the match. Coach Mikel Arteta confirmed that Saka will travel with the squad, though he didn’t include the English winger in the starting lineup against Atletico. Saka made his return from an Achilles injury last Sunday against Newcastle United, playing the final 10 minutes, being far from reaching top fitness against the Spanish side. Beyond Saka, Arteta was also asked at Tuesday’s press conference about Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze, both of whom were forced off during the Newcastle match. “Kai is out and Ebs is ready to go,” Arteta said, before elaborating on the German’s situation. “He had a little niggle. I don’t know how serious it is. It didn’t look too big. The action, the way he describes it, is not too sharp. But we have to wait and see.” Alongside Havertz, Jurrien Timber remains another significant absentee for the Gunners, still not fully fit following his most recent groin injury. Saka, however, did participate in training at London Colney, and will be eager to make an impact after missing the entire quarterfinal series against Sporting CP. Bukayo Saka of Arsenal smiles during a training session. Arsenal face a formidable challenge in Spain Having reached the Champions League semifinal in back-to-back seasons, Arsenal now arrive in Spain at a moment when their form has dipped, and they face an Atletico Madrid side fresh off eliminating FC Barcelona, one of the competition’s most fancied contenders. While the two clubs met in the league phase earlier this season with Arsenal running out 4-0 winners, both teams have evolved considerably since that meeting. Asked what he expects from the game, Arteta was generous in his praise of Diego Simeone’s legacy. “They are very strong at both ends, otherwise they would not be here. The energy they create in the stadium, how they believe in it. We have prepared the game to win it. I think a lot of the work he’s carried out, he has transformed the club in 15 years. The way he has done it, I have always had admiration for these kind of people. He is very connected to the club. He is an absolute role model,” the Arsenal coach said. Confirmed lineups for Atletico Madrid and Arsenal Atletico Madrid’s confirmed lineups (4-4-2): Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Johnny Cardoso, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez.Head coach: Diego Simeone. Arsenal’s confirmed lineups (4-3-3): David Raya; Ben White, Gabriel, William Saliba, Piero Hincapie; Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi; Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli.Head coach: Mikel Arteta.

Show more news

Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.