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Atletico Madrid have filed a complaint with UEFA after their preparation for tonight’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal was disrupted by fireworks outside their London hotel.
The Spanish side’s players saw their sleep interrupted in the early hours of Tuesday morning when fireworks were set off outside their Shoreditch accommodation, with the first incident occurring at 1:30am.
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[According to Marca](https://www.marca.com), Atletico swiftly reported their displeasure to UEFA over the disruption. The Spanish outlet claims that despite the convenient location of the hotel, there were concerns about the lack of deterrents to prevent individuals from approaching the team’s sleeping quarters.
A second wave of loud noises followed 20 minutes after the initial fireworks, with at least one squad member reportedly affected by the disturbance. The incident comes just hours before the crucial semi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium, following last week’s 1-1 draw in Madrid.
Squad boost for Simeone despite disruption
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Despite the overnight interruption, Diego Simeone will be pleased to have key players available for the crucial tie. Injury concerns over Julian Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone, Marcos Llorente and David Hancko were sparked during the past week, but all four have been named in the travelling squad.
Pablo Barrios and Nico Gonzalez are the only notable absentees for Atletico, though Alexander Sorloth has been included despite missing the last two matches.
Arsenal receive timely boost
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Mikel Arteta also delivered positive news on the injury front, confirming that Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard are set to return to the squad. Speaking on Monday, the Arsenal manager said: “Great \[to have them back\], because we need options, we need the capacity to play different games tomorrow, whether it’s from the start or after. So it’s really, really good news for us to have them both back.”
The Gunners received an additional boost in their Premier League title race after Manchester City dropped points in a 3-3 draw with Everton. Pep Guardiola’s side had the opportunity to respond to Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Fulham but could only manage a draw despite Jeremy Doku’s last-gasp equaliser.
The result means the Premier League title race remains firmly in Arsenal’s hands with three league games remaining. Should the north London side progress tonight, they will face either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the final, with the German and French giants meeting in their own semi-final second leg on Wednesday following PSG’s thrilling 5-4 first-leg victory.