Sidelined: Ademola Lookman
Arsenal Football Newsletter
The Gunners are preparing to face the La Liga side in the last four of Europe’s top competition, with their first leg at the Estadio Metropolitano on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta’s side are looking to refind that winning feeling after they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last weekend, and City’s 1-0 victory at Burnley in midweek saw Pep Guardiola’s men leapfrog the north London club into top spot in the Premier League table.
Arsenal had been at the summit for six months straight, and recently held a nine-point lead over their title rivals.
However, they have now been reeled in, and talk of a quadruple, and then a treble, was dashed after the Carabao Cup final defeat by City last month, and their stunning exit at the hands of Southampton in the FA Cup last eight.
Now, they take on an Atleti side that showed great character to come through Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals, and a crafty outfit coached by Diego Simeone.
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Simeone may be without one of his key players, however, with Ademola Lookman, the former Charlton and Everton forward, ruled out of Atletico’s game against Athletic Club this weekend.
The Nigerian has starred for the Spanish club since his arrival from Atalanta, making the left-midfield berth in Simeone’s 4-4-2 system his own.
He suffered the injury in the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad, which Atleti lost on penalties last week.
In other injury news for Simeone’s side, David Hancko, the centre-back, is still out of action despite returning to training from an ankle problem, while Alexander Sorloth has recovered from a niggle from the cup final.