Atlético Madrid have been forced to make the trip to Anfield for Wednesday’s Champions League opener against Liverpool without a number of key players, including injured striker Julián Alvarez.
Alvarez, who racked up 29 goals and eight assists across all competitions last season, set up Atlético’s first goal in their recent 2–0 win over Villarreal but picked up a knee injury as he did so and requested a substitution at half-time of the game.
“Let’s hope it’s nothing and he’s back as soon as possible,” said an optimistic Diego Simeone after the final whistle, but the Atlético manager must now prepare for a spell without Alvarez after he was left out of the travelling squad.
Local reports state Alvarez has likely avoided a serious injury but has continued to complain of discomfort, and the decision has been made not to risk the Argentina international on Wednesday at Anfield.
Alexander Sørloth is likely to take Alvarez’s place alongside Antoine Griezmann at the top of Atlético’s team sheet, with Giacomo Raspadori another option.
United States international Johnny Cardoso is another surprise absentee. The 23-year-old had been expected to feature as a starter before spraining his ankle in Monday’s training session, forcing him to miss out.
Cardoso’s absence creates a huge problem for Atlético in midfield, where Álex Baena and Thiago Almada are already unavailable. 17-year-old Taufik Seidu is an emergency callup alongside 20-year-old Rayane Belaid.
Liverpool, on the other hand, enter the game in near-perfect condition. Curtis Jones was the only senior absentee for this weekend’s win over Burnley, in which Alexis Mac Allister picked up an injury which is not expected to be serious.
All eyes will be on Arne Slot’s attack, where Alexander Isak is set to make his first appearance since his record-breaking move this summer. The Sweden international, who missed pre-season, is expected to be restricted to 45 minutes at most.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool Handed Huge Injury Boost Ahead of Champions League Opener vs. Atletico Madrid.
