Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid Champions League line-ups: Two Italians start
Riccardo Calafiori and Matteo Ruggeri are both in the starting line-ups as Arsenal host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League final on Tuesday evening.
Arsenal and Atletico are level at 1-1 at the halfway stage of their Champions League semi-final after goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvaerz, both from the penalty spot, at the Metropolitano last week.
Tonight’s second leg will kick off at 20.00 BST.
Calafiori keeps his place in the Arsenal starting XI after a stellar performance against Fulham in the Premier League over the weekend. The Italy international was denied his first goal at The Emirates after a late VAR review on Saturday.
The former Roma and Bologna defender had missed four matches across all competitions with a knock leading up to the first leg of this tie, and was left on the bench for the opening game last week. This is the first time since December that Calafiori has started two games in a row for Arsenal.
Ruggeri also keeps his place at left-back in the Atletico Madrid line-up. The former Atalanta wing-back has started in 12 of Atleti’s 15 Champions League outings this term and was one of several key players that Diego Simeone decided to rest for the LaLiga match against Valencia over the weekend.
Former Atalanta star Ademola Lookman also starts for Atletico, and former Dea goalkeeper Juan Musso is named among Simeone’s substitutes.
Arsenal vs. Atletico Madrid: Confirmed line-ups
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres.
Subs: Kepa, Setford, Mosquera, Hincapie, Havertz, Odegaard, Norgaard, G.Jesus, Martinelli, Zubimendi, Dowman, Madueke.
Atletico Madrid (4-4-2): Oblak; Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Giuliano, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann.
Subs: Musso, Gimenez, Lenglet, Molina, Bonar, J.Diaz, Mendoza, Cardoso, Alex B., Vargas, Sorloth, Almada.