Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal: Champions League – team news, starts, compilations | Soccer News

WHO: Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal
What: Champions League semi-final, first leg
Where: Metropolitan Stadium, Madrid, Spain
When: Wednesday 29 April at 21:00 (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sports from 16:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream.

Arsenal’s record as the only unbeaten football team in this season’s Champions League will be tested in the intense atmosphere of the Metropolitano Stadium.

The Gunners have conceded just five goals in 12 games so far, the kind of record associated with Atletico during coach Diego Simeone’s long reign of fiery football.

But this is a more stretched Atletico side, with a surprising 26 goals conceded in 14 Champions League games this season, while Julian Alvarez has scored nine of the 34 at the other end.

The two teams have already faced each other this season, but Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Atletico in October in the league stage feels like a long time ago. A four-goal burst in 15 seconds-half minutes, including two from Viktor Gyokeres, showed a freedom that Mikel Arteta’s side have found difficult to recapture in a tense second half of the season.

Arsenal have endured a rocky patch recently – losing to Man City in the League Cup final and in a key league game – but maintain a three-point lead at the top of the table, although City have a game in hand.

The hosts, meanwhile, are fourth in La Liga, and the Champions League represents their last hope of silverware this season after defeat in last weekend’s Copa del Rey final.

Atletico’s path to the semi-finals was to take the lead in the first leg – ambushing Tottenham at home and then winning against Barcelona – before fending off intense pressure in the second leg. It will be in London on Tuesday next week.

The winners will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Budapest on May 30.

What did the managers say?

Athletics coach Diego Simeone said: “We are heading to the semi-finals with all our enthusiasm and all our belief. We know our strengths and our weaknesses. We have great confidence in what we are doing. We are ready, and we are going after what we have been chasing for many years.”

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said: “It’s a massive moment (to reach back-to-back semi-finals). It’s the first time in our history, in 140 years – to be part of those four teams is something very special. You have to earn it. You have to go through a lot of work.”

What did the players say?

Atleti forward Antoine Griezmann said: “It doesn’t matter who we face as long as we’re still in it. It was a great and tough tie (against Barcelona) against a fantastic team that plays very well. It was a battle but we’re still in it.”

Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli commented: “We believe in ourselves, we know the quality we have. We won against them in the league stage, but it’s going to be a completely different game.”

How did Atletico reach the semi-finals?

Atletico Madrid sent 10-man Barcelona crashing out of the Champions League and reaching the last four with a 3-2 aggregate windespite a 2-1 quarter-final second leg defeat.

Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres put visitors Barca ahead inside 24 minutes, but Ademola Lookman’s strike gave Atletico the lead in the gripping all-Spanish tie after their 2-0 first-leg win.

How did Arsenal reach the semi-finals?

Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals after finding their luck in a nervy goalless draw against Sporting Lisbon that secured a 1-0 aggregate win.

Mikel Arteta’s side were well below their best in the quarter-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium, but they held on to their slim first-leg advantage as Sporting failed to make them pay.

Head-to-head

The two clubs have only faced each other on three occasions, with each winning one match and one match ending in a draw.

Before it met this season, the preview encounter ended up being the last European tie for former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

• 21 October 2025: Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid (Champions League, league stage)
• 3 May 2018: Atletico Madrid 1-0 Arsenal (Europa League semi-final)
• 26 April 2018: Arsenal 1-1 Atletico Madrid (Europa League semi-final)

What happened the last time they played with each other?

Arsenal Atletico Madrid beaten 4-0 back in October thanks to a devastating second half at the Emirates Stadium in a Champions League League Stage clash.

What was a compelling clash with little between the teams in the first half turned into an Arsenal crackdown, with goals from Gabriel, Martinelli and a brace from Gyokeres leaving Simeone’s side shell-shocked.

Have any sides ever won the European Cup/Champions League?

No side has ever been European champions.

Atletico reached the final in 2014 and 2016 and were beaten by arch-rivals Real Madrid on both occasions.

Arsenal reached the final in 2006 but were beaten 2-1 by Barcelona.

Atletico’s team news

Midfielder Pablo Barrios will miss the game and will be out for around a month after picking up a thigh injury against Bilbao.

Lookman was not named in the squad for the weekend game after picking up a knock in the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad, but could return for the Arsenal match.

Defender David Hancko is also expected to remain unavailable due to injury.

Predicted starting XI:

Oblak (goalkeeper); Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Cardoso, Gonzalez; Griezmann, Alvarez

Arsenal’s team news

Kai Havertz and Eberechi Eze were both forced off with muscle problems in the win over Newcastle – Eze said afterwards he came off as a precaution and was “fine” but Havertz is a doubt.

Midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who was sent off at half-time against Newcastle, will also be assessed late.

Riccardo Calafiori is still recovering from a knock and is a major doubt, while Jurrien Timber has been out for around a month with a groin problem and is probably still some way from a full recovery.

Mikel Merino is definitely unavailable as he recovers from surgery on an ankle injury.

Predicted starting XI:

Raya (goalkeeper); White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli