Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal LIVE: Team news and updates for Champions League semi-final – UK Times

Mikel Arteta has told his Arsenal players to go behind enemy lines and deliver a statement victory tonight.

Speaking on the eve of his side’s pivotal match in the Spanish capital, which is forecast to be affected by a heavy storm, Arteta said: “This is the stage that we want to be and we have earned it through incredible work, passion and quality in the last nine months.

“Now is the moment to make a statement and show how good we are, how much we want it and make it happen. The opportunity is in front of us and we have to attack it.

“We have prepared the game to win it. There’s no question about that. We know the difficulty of the match, but I think we have shown in Europe, in any ground, what we are capable of.

“We’ve been very consistent and tomorrow we have to play with that confidence, with that desire and that will. We have to come here to win the game.”

To see the Arsenal squad at training this week, you wouldn’t necessarily think they were about to play for just a second Champions League final in their history. So many people at the club say they’ve just been more relaxed, and that’s actually been the case for every European game this season.

And yet here they are, the squad newly abuzz.

The big question is whether Ademola Lookman can feature having sat out the weekend La Liga win against Athletic Club owing to a muscle issue. Julian Alvarez is expected to be involved having shaken off a thigh issue.

Defenders Jose Gimenez and David Hancko could return too following injuries but Pablo Barrios will not be in the engine room owing to a hamstring strain.

Eberechi Eze came off after scoring the winner against Newcastle United on Saturday, a nervy result that moved Arsenal back to the Premier League’s summit. But he is apparently fine to feature tonight. There is less positive news around Kai Havertz though. The Germany star also hobbled off at the weekend and is not involved this evening.

Riccardo Calafiori is back in training and may return to the bench, though Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino remain absent.

After the highest-scoring semi-final game in the competition’s history, the expectation from all quarters is that tonight’s match will be a little more, well, measured. No less intense, of course, but instead of the attack after attack approach at Parc des Princes, the Metropolitano should see two teams more eager to keep things a bit tighter.

A prediction is difficult beyond feeling confident that the tie will be very much alive for next week’s second leg in north London.

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Champions League action as Arsenal take on Atletico Madrid in the second semi-final tie.

Yesterday saw a thrilling first leg play out between PSG and Bayern Munich as the reigning champions won 5-4 in Paris to take a slim lead into the second leg in Germany next week.

Now the onus is on the Gunners and Atleti to replicate the exciting nature of that tie when they come face-to-face this evening.

We’ll have all the team news, line-ups and latest updates so stick with us as we build up to kick off at 8pm.