Atletico Madrid will face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Atletico seeks redemption after a 0-4 defeat to Arsenal earlier this season.
Key points
Atletico Madrid hosts Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semi-final
Match takes place at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano
Atletico lost 0-4 to Arsenal earlier this season
Diego Simeone is the coach of Atletico Madrid
Mentioned in this story
Diego Simeone
Atletico MadridArsenalUEFA Champions League
Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal â Match preview and team news
Atletico Madrid host Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final on Wednesday night at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Diego Simeoneâs 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 â Match preview and team news
Date:Â Wednesday, 29th April.
Kick-off:Â 8pm BST.
Venue:Â Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid.
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.
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. is certain to be included in the starting XI along with while Clement Lenglet will start at centre back along with either or .
Q&A
What date is the Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal UEFA Champions League match?
The match is scheduled for Wednesday night.
Where will the Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal match take place?
The match will be held at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
What was the result of the previous match between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal this season?
Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 0-4 in the Champions League group stage earlier this season.
Who is the coach of Atletico Madrid?
Diego Simeone is the coach of Atletico Madrid.
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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 squadâs 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 Madridâs 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 seasonâa club record. While vulnerable, they remain a âknockout beastâ 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 havenât 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.
