Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | Semi-Final
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This semi-final tie is finely poised as Arsenal and Atletico Madrid battle it out for a place in the UEFA Champions League final.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / USA – CBS
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / USA – Paramount+
Arsenal preview: Fighting on two fronts
After claiming a 1-1 draw in Spain last week, Arsenal will be hopeful of progressing to a second ever UEFA Champions League final, especially as they boast home advantage in this second leg.
The Gunners claimed a morale-boosting 3-0 win against Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, with the performances of Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres particularly positive.
Atletico Madrid preview: Last hope of a trophy
Atletico Madrid fought back well in last week's first leg, with Julian Alvarez's second-half penalty - his tenth goal in Europe this season - keeping them very much in this tie.
Diego Simeone's men were 0-2 winners at Valencia on Saturday, with the Atleti boss rotating several of his key men with this second leg in mind.
Arsenal team news: Odegaard & Havertz in the squad
Mikel Arteta has stated that both Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz will be involved in the matchday squad after their recent injuries, although Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino remain sidelined.
Arteta may opt for Leandro Trossard over Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing, with the mindset of bringing the latter on in the second half to use his pace against tiring legs.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres
Unavailable: Timber (Injured), Merino (Injured)
Questionable:
Atletico Madrid team news: Alvarez travels
In a massive boost, top scorer Julian Alvarez has been named in the squad after going off injured last week, while Giuliano Simeone and Alexander Sorloth have also been included.
Jose Marie Gimenez has also returned to the fold after missing the last month of action, which leaves only Pablo Barrios and Nicolas Gonzalez as the injured parties.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Le Normand, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Cardoso, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann
Unavailable: Pablo Barrios (Injured), Gonzalez (Injured)
Questionable:
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid prediction
Arsenal's season was in danger of collapsing a couple of weeks ago, with the possibility of the once quadruple-chasing Gunners ending the season without a single trophy.
However, successive wins in the Premier League, coupled with a battling 1-1 draw in the first leg of this tie, has been cause for optimism, and the return to form and fitness of Saka will certainly give them an edge here.
Atletico are a team that never know when they are beaten though, and have bona fide match winners of their own in the form of Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann.
However, a newly-buoyant Arsenal should have too much for the visitors on home turf. The Gunners were 4-0 winners when Atleti visited the Emirates in the league phase, and we expect the same result on Tuesday.
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Tip: Arsenal to win
