Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

Arsenal host Atlético Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday night, with the tie locked at 1–1.

The Gunners ultimately left the Spanish capital content with their night‘s work and are the favorites to progress into their first Champions League final since they were beaten 2–1 by Barcelona in Paris 20 years ago.

Arsène Wenger’s side overcame La Liga opposition in the form of Villarreal to reach the competition’s showpiece event in 2006, and supporters will be pleading for a repeat of history midweek. Arsenal have gradually improved their Champions League standing since they broke bread with Europe’s aristocracy again three years ago.

They were quarterfinalists in 2023–24, then semifinalists last season. Bypassing Atléti would represent linear progression, and a scintillating opponent will await them in Budapest.

Diego Simeone‘s Rojiblancos cannot be written off, though. After an oddly cautious start on home soil, Atléti burst into life at the start of the second half, and they’ll be confident of hurting the Gunners in north London.

The visitors are aiming to reach the final for the third time since Simeone took over, but it’s been a decade since they were last on club soccer’s grandest stage.

Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid Score Prediction

Gunners Reach First Champions League Final in 20 Years

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have incrementally progressed in the Champions League. | Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto/Getty Images

We shouldn’t expect a repeat of the league phase outing, when Arsenal blew Atléti away in the second half to claim an emphatic 4–0 victory.

The Gunners have stuttered their way through the run-in so far, but performed with a rediscovered swagger at the weekend in their 3–0 win over Fulham.

They’ll be tough to slow down if the spirit of Saturday is evoked on what’s bound to be a tense and frantic night against an opponent who believe it may well be their destiny to win this competition for the very first time.

Home advantage: Arsenal have been outstanding at the Emirates in the Champions League this season, winning all but one of their games—the 0–0 draw with Sporting CP in the previous round.
Arsenal’s record vs. Spanish opposition: The Gunners have won seven of their previous eight games against Spanish opposition in this competition, and they’re also unbeaten against Atléti.
Atléti’s road woes: Before they beat 10-man Barcelona at the Camp Nou to help them reach the last, Atléti had won just one of their previous six Champions League away games. They’ve also lost in England three times this season, and been beaten in six of their last seven Champions League encounters against Premier League opposition.

Prediction: Arsenal 2–1 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Atlético Madrid

Arsenal lineup — Go for it, Mikel. | FotMob

Arteta said last week that he was hopeful Kai Havertz would be fit for the second leg in north London, but Viktor Gyökeres is likely to retain his spot after his fine performance at the weekend. The Swede struck twice in a rare comfortable victory for the Gunners against Fulham.

Declan Rice has been effectively utilized at the base of Arsenal’s midfield in the previous two games, and will stay there on Tuesday night. Martín Zubimendi will come into the engine room alongside Martin Ødegaard, who’s fine after missing the weekend’s win, with Eberechi Eze potentially starting down the left.

Mikel Merino remains sidelined with a foot injury, and Jurriën Timber is likely to miss out again.

Arteta will have to decide between Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera at right back, as well as Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapié at left back. Those are the Arsenal manager’s two key selection dilemmas.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Atlético Madrid (4-2-3-1): Raya; Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Ødegaard, Eze; Gyökeres.

Atlético Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal

Simeone, as expected, rotated heavily for Atléti’s La Liga outing at the weekend, and he’s since named his 25-man traveling squad for Tuesday’s second leg.

Crucially, last week’s goalscorer, Julián Alvarez, has been included. The Argentine was forced off after scoring from the spot with a suspected ankle injury, but should be fit to start in north London.

Giuliano Simeone and Alexander Sørloth have both overcome knocks to travel, while veteran defender José María Giménez could play a part after recovering from a muscle injury.

They’re likely to be unchanged from the first leg, with Jan Oblak returning for Arsenal’s visit but Lucas Barrios sustained a thigh injury that could keep him out for the rest of the season. Winger Nico González is absent again.

Atlético Madrid predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Cardoso, Koke, Lookman; Griezmann, Alvarez.

What Time Does Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid Kick Off?

Location: London, England
Stadium: Emirates Stadium
Date: Tuesday, May 5
Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)
VAR: Bastian Dankert GER

How to Watch Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV Channel/Live Stream
United States	CBS, Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN USA, Univision, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, ViX
United Kingdom	Amazon Prime Video
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico	TNT Sports, Max Mexico

MORE: Full list of Champions League broadcasters around the world

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