Almada, Gimenez, Baena and Cardoso also sidelined, but Griezmann and Gallagher available
Atletico Madrid will be without Julian Alvarez for their Champions League opener at Liverpool on Wednesday, after the forward failed to recover from a fitness issue picked up at the weekend.
The 25-year-old World Cup winner was withdrawn at half-time during Atletico’s 2-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday with discomfort and has not travelled with the squad to Merseyside.
He had a highly successful campaign for Atletico last season, when he scored 29 goals and delivered eight assists in all competitions. This season he has scored and assisted once in four appearances.
Alvarez is one of several absentees for Diego Simeone, with Thiago Almada, Jose Maria Gimenez, Alex Baena and Johnny Cardoso also sidelined. However, Antoine Griezmann and Conor Gallagher are fit and available.
Atletico arrive at Anfield having won only one of their opening four La Liga fixtures, drawing two and losing one. However, Simeone’s side will be counting on a positive showing at the weekend against Villareal.
