Just a few days before Lionel Scaloni gathers the players of the Argentine National Team for a new FIFA date, a news report from Spain raised alarms. Julián Álvarez suffered a muscle strain at Atlético de Madrid and has been ruled out for the match this Sunday against Real Sociedad.
The Spider ended Saturday's practice early after feeling discomfort and underwent medical tests to determine the extent of the problem. Finally, the Madrid club confirmed the details through its official channels: "Julián will not travel to San Sebastián due to a muscle overload that caused him to leave yesterday's training session. After conducting the necessary tests, the medical staff has ruled out his presence in today's match".
The issue arises at a sensitive time for the forward, who is a regular part of Scaloni's team and will be considered again for the next call-up of the Albiceleste. Although it initially does not appear to be a serious injury, his progress over the next few days will be crucial to determine if he will be available.
Meanwhile, the team led by Diego Simeone will also need to assess his recovery with upcoming commitments in mind. The former River could return on Wednesday against Osasuna at the Metropolitano stadium, although his presence will depend on how he responds to the lighter training he will undergo in the coming days and the risk of the overload leading to an injury. If he is ultimately not used against the Navarre team, the goal would shift to being fit for the classic against Real Madrid, which will take place the following Sunday in Madrid.
Álvarez's absence adds to those of Pablo Barrios and Alexander Sorloth, both affected by muscle issues. Given this situation, Simeone will need to restructure the attack to face Real Sociedad and one of the alternatives is Jonathan David, although he could also opt for a trident formed by Kang in Lee, Álex Baena, and Ademola Lookman.
