Nico González
ARG
Called up for World Cup
Gonzalez (strain) is expected to return to action with the Argentinian national team after being included in their 26-man World Cup squad.
Analysis: Gonzalez missed competitive action since late April due to a muscle tear. However, his presence is his national team's official roster suggests he'll be fit enough to play a role in the World Cup group stage. The winger is coming off a five-goal La Liga campaign after spending the year on loan with Atletico Madrid from Juventus. While he has lacked consistency lately in terms of both fitness and performance, he'll hold high attacking upside if he starts for his country. In that case, his inclusion will push Thiago Almada (strain) and Giuliano Simeone to more limited roles.
Set to miss three to four weeks
Gonzalez suffered a muscle tear during Tuesday's training session ahead of Wednesday's Champions League semifinal first leg against Arsenal and is expected to miss three to four weeks, ruling him out for the remainder of the La Liga season and potentially putting a Champions League final appearance in doubt, according to Javi Gomez of COPE.
Analysis: Gonzalez came into the Arsenal clash in top form, coming off a brace against Elche last week and strong showings against Athletic Club in his previous two outings, putting the Argentine winger firmly in the mix for a start against the Gunners. The injury is a brutal setback for both the player and Atletico, hitting at the worst possible time just hours before one of the biggest matches of the season. The timing rules him out for the rest of La Liga play, and coach Diego Simeone will now have to reshuffle his attacking setup on the fly, with the Champions League final on May 30 also in jeopardy depending on his recovery, leaving Gonzalez to potentially close out his debut Colchonero campaign with five goals and 16 chances created across 35 appearances (22 starts) across all competitions.
Gets brace
Gonzalez scored two goals to go with three shots (two on goal) in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat against Elche.
Analysis: Gonzalez tried to keep his side in the match with two goals, though Elche ultimately got the winner in the second half with Atleti down to 10 men. The forward should be able to find room in the final third against Athletic, a side which has allowed 45 goals in 32 La Liga contests.
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