Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | Semi-Final
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Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are bidding for rare UEFA Champions League final appearances as they begin their semi-final at the Metropolitano.
Kick-off date/time:
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Atletico Madrid preview: Entertaining Atletico
Atletico Madrid play a very different style to the stereotyped version of a Diego Simeone-coached side with Los Rojiblancos playing a very attacking and entertaining style of football - due in large part to an inability to defend, as explained by their own manager.
Atleti head into this one on the back of a surprising and thrilling 3-2 defeat of Athletic Club in the capital city, ending what was a four-match losing streak in La Liga, with their focus having turned to the cups - following a recent Copa del Rey final loss to Real Sociedad.
Arsenal preview: Collapsing but fighting
Arsenal come into this one on the back of a slender victory and, once again, a very nervy performance as they edged past an out of form Newcastle United side at the Emirates Stadium at the weekend.
The Gunners have endured a woeful April with back-to-back Premier League defeats as well as an FA Cup elimination to second-tier Southampton as well as an EFL Cup final loss to Manchester City last month.
Atletico Madrid team news: Pablo Barrios a doubt
Atleti have been heavily rotating in La Liga recently but Diego Simeone will revert back to full strength, albeit he will be without some key starters.
David Hancko and Ademola Lookman would be guaranteed to be in the eleven if fit, but both are set to be unavailable, while key midfielder Pablo Barrios is again a doubt.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Pubill, Le Normand, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Baena; Griezmann, Alvarez
Unavailable: Jose Maria Gimenez (Injured), Hancko (Injured), Lookman (Injured)
Questionable: Pablo Barrios (Injured)
Arsenal team news: Quite a few doubts
Bukayo Saka came off the bench at the weekend but it would again seem like a major jump for the Englishman to start here, while Riccardo Calafiori didn’t make the squad at the weekend.
In the front three, both Eberechi Eze and Kai Havertz were forced off and so they are also major doubts, while Jurrien Timber also once again missed out at the weekend.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli
Unavailable: Merino (Injured)
Questionable: Timber (Injured), Calafiori (Fitness), Eze (Injured), Havertz (Injured)
Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal prediction
Mikel Arteta had the opportunity, genuinely, to win a quadruple this season but the Londoners have instead collapsed again. They did squeeze past Sporting CP with a 1-0 aggregate victory in the round of 16. It is a clash of styles with Atletico getting on the front foot and, with home advantage, they will seek to rattle an often calm Arsenal side. Given the fact that the Gunners have won just two of their last seven matches across all competitions, both with a 1-0 scoreline, siding with an Atleti side that have blown teams away in the Spanish capital city on occasion this season would appear the way to go for this first-leg.
Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal Tip: Atletico Madrid to win
