Diego Simeone confirmed on Friday that Giuliano Simeone will not travel with Atletico Madrid to Valencia on Saturday as the club manages injuries ahead of next Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal.
Simeone said Julian Alvarez, who scored a penalty in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal, is still struggling with an ankle complaint after being forced off with 13 minutes remaining following a challenge from Eberechi Eze, and will play no part in the trip to Valencia.
The coach made clear the absence of Alvarez was not the only selection forced by fitness: Alexander Sorloth, Jose Gimenez and Pablo Barrios are also unavailable, and a supplementary squad list showed Atletico will leave out David Hancko, Marcos Llorente and Nico Gonzalez as well — eight players in total are not being called up for the weekend match.
Atletico sit fourth in La Liga, five points behind third-placed Villarreal with five games remaining, a gap Simeone said the team is conscious of as they juggle domestic duties with a Champions League semi-final. He emphasised the need to pick players who are in the best condition to compete on Saturday, rather than risk those still recovering.
Simeone underlined that the timing of fixtures shaped who could be considered for selection: had there not been the midweek clash with Arsenal, he said, Julian Alvarez probably would not have made it to Saturday, nor would Sorloth, Giuliano, Barrios or Gimenez. He repeated that the players’ form and fitness dictate his rotation and that he expects those chosen to justify their place at the club.
The decision frames a clear tension for Atletico: they must field a competitive side in La Liga as they attempt to close the gap on Villarreal while holding key players in reserve or sidelined ahead of a Champions League tie that will determine whether they reach a European final. Simeone repeatedly returned to the point that the club must think only about the immediate match and the players ready to perform.
For Alvarez the sequence was stark. He converted a penalty in the first leg to help earn a 1-1 draw but left the field early after aggravating an ankle injury in a challenge by Eze. Simeone said that, even without the Tuesday fixture looming, Alvarez probably would not have been fit for Saturday, a reality that forces the coach to lean on others for the Valencia trip.
The absences also open opportunities for the squad players who are available. Simeone insisted he expects a lot from whoever is selected, stressing they have both the responsibility and the chance to show why they belong at Atletico Madrid. How those replacements perform will matter for two reasons: immediate points in La Liga and the preservation of the core group for the decisive Champions League second leg.
The practical question now is straightforward: can Atletico protect their Champions League prospects while mounting the domestic push they need to close a five-point deficit with five matches left? The answer will come quickly — beginning at Valencia on Saturday and then, crucially, in the second leg against Arsenal next Tuesday.
