Nicolás González

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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.

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Nico Gonzalez injury rules him out of Atletico’s UCL semifinals: What it means for Messi’s Argentina at the 2026 World Cup?

worldsoccertalk.com · last week

Nicolas Gonzalez will be sidelined from the upcoming UEFA Champions League semifinals with Atletico Madrid due to a recent injury, in a situation that could have consequences in Lionel Messi's Argentina for the 2026 World Cup. Nicolas Gonzalez has suffered a last-minute injury that will sideline him for Atletico Madrid‘s upcoming UEFA Champions League semifinal against Arsenal, with the Colchoneros pushing for a place in the final. The setback has also raised questions about how the issue could affect Lionel Messi‘s Argentina heading into the 2026 World Cup. According to Cadena Cope, Gonzalez sustained a muscle injury during Atletico’s training session on Tuesday, the day before the first leg against Arsenal. While the club has yet to release an official statement, the Argentine forward is expected to miss between three and four weeks, with his return projected for late May. The injury also has contractual implications. As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Atletico Madrid will not be triggering their obligation to buy clause for González, as he will fall short of the minimum number of appearances required to activate it. However, a permanent move to the Spanish capital has not been ruled out, with the Colchoneros still in talks with Juventus over a reduced fee for an eventual full transfer. The timing is particularly difficult given that his only realistic chance of returning to action before the summer would be in a potential Champions League final, scheduled for May 31. With his absence confirmed, Gonzalez joins Pablo Barrios and Jose Maria Gimenez on the injured list, with Ademola Lookman’s availability also uncertain due to a separate complaint. Nicolas Gonzalez of Atletico de Madrid celebrating. Gonzalez and the shadow of 2022 The injury arrives at a painful moment for Gonzalez, who had been heading into the Arsenal tie in strong form after scoring two outstanding goals in the win over Elche, bringing his tally to five goals in 39 appearances for Atletico. It also draws an uncomfortable parallel to an episode that is still fresh in the memory of the Argentine Just days before Argentina’s opening game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Gonzalez suffered a muscle tear during the team’s first training session in Doha, ruling him out of the tournament that ended with Argentina lifting the trophy. While the 2026 edition is still more than six weeks away and he is expected to recover in time, the memory of what happened almost four years ago will hang over his recovery process. How would Argentina be affected? Argentina still have much of the core that won the World Cup in Qatar, but nearly four years have passed, and time has begun to take its toll on some key figures. Captain Lionel Messi remains the centerpiece of everything the team does, but with the forward set to turn 39 during the tournament, the physical burden of covering ground when Argentina are out of possession must be carried by others, and that is precisely where Gonzalez’s value becomes critical. Head coach Lionel Scaloni has settled the team in order for Messi to make the least amount of physical effort while the team is defending by bringing a mix of talented and physically gifted players. Nicolas Gonzalez is the type of player to be assigned with that task, covering the wing, either as a midfielder or as a full back, when the team is defending, and give support to the attack. Nicolas Gonzalez of Argentina controls the ball. Giuliano Simeone fills a broadly similar role, a player whose inclusion in the squad is driven more by his exceptional physical attributes than his technical ceiling. While Gonzalez also provides cover at left back, having players of his profile available will be essential for Argentina to manage the physical demands of a grueling World Cup schedule, making a full recovery before the tournament begins all the more important.

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