Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez is ready to go to extreme lengths to help his team reach the Champions League final—even if it means playing through the pain.
The Argentine forward is expected to feature in Tuesday's high-stakes semi-final second leg against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, but his fitness remains a major talking point. Alvarez twisted his ankle during the first leg last week, and was rested for Atletico's weekend victory over Valencia as manager Diego Simeone rotated his squad heavily.
Monday's training session at the Emirates offered a glimpse of Alvarez's determination. According to reports from Diario AS, the 24-year-old began the session working alone, completing some light runs before eventually joining the rest of the group. While he's clearly not at 100%, his desire to play is unmistakable.
In fact, Spanish outlet Marca reports that Alvarez is willing to take a pain-killing injection just to be on the pitch for this crucial clash. With the tie finely poised at 1-1 after the first leg, every player's contribution could be decisive. Despite the World Cup looming on the horizon, Alvarez is laser-focused on helping Atletico book their place in the final.
He's not the only one battling fitness concerns. Winger Giuliano Simeone and forward Alexander Sorloth are also expected to be available, though neither is fully fit. Simeone was substituted at half-time in the first leg, while Sorloth missed the match entirely due to muscle discomfort. Both will be options off the bench if needed.
Defender Jose Maria Gimenez has returned to training after more than a month out, but he's not expected to feature. The only confirmed absentees are Pablo Barrios and Nicolas Gonzalez.
How Simeone manages his squad could be crucial—especially with extra time a real possibility. Veteran star Antoine Griezmann looks set to start, but at 33, the Frenchman's stamina may only stretch to 90 minutes. With so many key players carrying knocks, Atletico's depth will be tested to its limit under the Emirates lights.