Champions League semi-finals: Ranking top 10 players who could decide ties

3. Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)

Atletico (*10*) journey to Arsenal within the league part appears like a very long time in the past, however it’s going to stick of their thoughts not only for the 4 objectives they shipped, however for his or her struggles in assault.

Atletico produced solely 0.32 xG from open play in that defeat and managed just one shot heading in the right direction, so, if they’re to take something towards Arsenal this time round, getting Julian Alvarez within the sport will probably be key.

The Argentina ahead has scored 9 objectives within the competitors this season, greater than any Atletico participant had managed in a Champions League marketing campaign.

He’s additionally a menace defending from the entrance, with a mammoth 853 high-intensity pressures – greater than anybody else this season. That’s 70 per sport on common.

That work ethics, ruthlessness in entrance of objective and the wizardry to bend a free-kick into the top nook, as Barcelona discovered, make the 26-year-old important to Atletico’s probabilities of progressing.