Atletico president vows 'revenge' on Arsenal early lunch

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Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has jokingly threatened to make Arsenal wait for their food when they visit Spain. Speaking ahead of the crucial Champions League semi-final second leg, he was stunned by the early start to the traditional directors' lunch in London. Cerezo insists his team are ready to overcome the Gunners and secure a spot in the grand final.

A clash of cultures before the match

The cultural divide between Spain and England became apparent at the dinner table. Addressing the media near the Emirates Stadium before the formal meeting with the Arsenal hierarchy, Cerezo expressed his surprise at the scheduled timing of their pre-match meal. The chief revealed that the lunch was set for 11:30 am local time, a stark contrast to the late afternoon dining habits common in Madrid. Finding humour in the situation, he quipped about a potential retaliation: "When they come to Madrid we will have it at three in the afternoon."

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Confidence in Simeone's squad

Beyond the culinary banter, the focus remains firmly on the sporting task at hand this Tuesday. Diego Simeone’s side arrived in London with the tie perfectly poised at 1-1 following a tense first leg. Cerezo remains steadfast that the La Liga side have what it takes. "Pressure there always is, but you have to have calm and tranquillity. It is a difficult match. In ninety minutes one of the two goes to the final and it is going to be complicated, but we are used to these types of matches and surely it will turn out well. In these matches one always suffers, but we have total confidence in the team that I am convinced that today we win. In London it was already done and now we have to repeat history with different teams and the next one is Bayern and so we repeat other eras," he added.

Julian Alvarez fitness and European dreams

One of the key talking points was the fitness of star forward Julian Alvarez, who had been struggling with an ankle knock. However, Cerezo provided a positive update, confirming he saw the player looking well during the trip to London that took place this Monday.

With the attacker named in the starting XI, Atletico Madrid possess one of their most dangerous weapons. Emphasising the magnitude of the occasion, he concluded: "It is a historic opportunity because reaching the final is making history. We come with a lot of hope. The players are very excited and everyone wants to be in the final."

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Looking ahead to the grand finale

If Madrid manage to conquer Arsenal in the English capital, they will advance to face formidable opponents in the tournament's climax. A victory would set up a thrilling showdown against the winner of the tie between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, who hold a 5-4 advantage from the first leg in France.