Striker Julian Alvarez and midfielder Johnny Cardoso are both sidelined through injury for Atletico Madrid's Champions League match against Liverpool on Wednesday. Both players miss out on selection, while David Hancko is included. Alex Baena, Thiago Almada and Jose Maria Gimenez were already known absentees.

Julian Alvarez picked up a knee problem in the last match against Villarreal at the Metropolitano Stadium last Saturday, being substituted at half-time. He has not trained with the group since then and is ultimately ruled out of the match that marks the start of the new edition of Europe's premier competition.

Johnny Cardoso is also a late withdrawal, due to a sprained left ankle sustained in training this Monday. Diego Simeone had been testing him as a starter in midfield, meaning the coach will have to change his intended line-up, presumably with Koke Resurreccion coming into the side.

David Hancko, who was a doubt with a sprained ankle suffered last Saturday, is included in the squad, as are Robin Le Normand and Nico Gonzalez, who also suffered knocks in the last match against Villarreal. They trained with the group this Monday and are part of the Argentinian coach's 22-man squad.

The team departed at 11.15am from Adolfo Suarez-Barajas Airport bound for Liverpool with three academy players in the squad: goalkeeper Salvador Esquivel, central midfielder Taufik Seidu and attacker Rayane Belaid.

Baena was already out, following surgery for appendicitis on September 2nd; Almada, with a muscle injury sustained in the last international break, and Gimenez, who has been out of action since June 20th, when he suffered a muscle injury against Seattle Sounders in the second match of the first phase of the Club World Cup.

Atletico's full squad list for acid Anfield test

Goalkeepers: Jan Oblak, Juan Musso and Salvador Esquivel.

Defenders: Nahuel Molina, Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, Clement Lenglet, Marc Pubill, Javi Galan, David Hancko and Matteo Ruggeri.

Midfielders: Koke Resurreccion, Conor Gallagher, Taufik Seidu and Pablo Barrios.

Forwards: Carlos Martin, Giuliano Simeone, Nico Gonzalez and Rayane Belaid, Antoine Griezmann, Alexander Sorloth and Giacomo Raspadori.

Johnny Cardoso

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