Atlético Madrid will begin their UEFA Champions League campaign on Wednesday with a difficult visit to Liverpool, but they will do so without two of their Argentine players. Julián Álvarez has been left out of the traveling squad due to a knee injury, while Thiago Almada is also unavailable after recent fitness issues with the Argentina national team.
Álvarez, who had provided an assist in Atlético’s 2-0 win against Villarreal last weekend, suffered discomfort in his right knee during the play that led to the opening goal. Although he completed the first half, he did not return for the second and has since been working under medical supervision. Tests confirmed a mild sprain, and the medical staff recommended not risking him for the European debut.
The Argentines Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, Giuliano Simeone, and Nicolás González have been called up by Diego Simeone.
