Atlético Madrid has received a significant boost ahead of the Madrid derby against Real Madrid, with Julián Álvarez recovering from injury and making himself available for selection at the Cívitas Metropolitano.
The Argentine forward missed the last two fixtures against Real Sociedad and Osasuna due to muscle fatigue sustained during their UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool.
Diego Simeone confirmed the player’s return to the squad, stating: “Julián will be with us for the derby.”
The Atlético manager added: “We will decide afterwards whether he will start the match or feature at a later stage of the game.”
Simeone’s comments indicate that while Álvarez has recovered, his place in the starting lineup is not yet guaranteed—especially after Atlético picked up back-to-back wins without him, securing a 3–0 victory over Real Sociedad followed by a 4–0 thrashing of Osasuna.
Jonathan David capitalized on the Argentine’s absence by netting two goals over the last three matches, handing Simeone another strong attacking option for the derby.
Álvarez has experienced limited playing time since the start of the season, appearing in 3 official matches for a total of 145 minutes—including just two appearances in La Liga. While yet to open his goalscoring account in the league, he registered an assist against Liverpool.
However, the 26-year-old’s historical numbers against Real Madrid carry significant weight. He has scored 4 derby goals in an Atlético shirt, split evenly with two at the Santiago Bernabéu and two at the Metropolitano.
Across four league encounters with Real Madrid, Álvarez has recorded 3 goals and 1 assist, alongside a goal in the UEFA Champions League. He currently tops the goalscoring list for the last 10 official matches between the capital rivals with 4 goals.
Real Madrid enters the derby sitting second in the table with 15 points, while Atlético occupies fourth place with 13 points—making Álvarez’s return vital as Los Rojiblancos look to overtake their neighbors in the standings.
