Julian Alvarez steps up recovery bid to make Atletico Madrid’s derby against Real Madrid

Julian Alvarez is intensifying his efforts to recover from injury and be available for Atletico Madrid’s Madrid derby against Real Madrid on Sunday.

The Argentina striker was hurt during Atletico’s Champions League match at Liverpool’s Anfield, despite producing an impressive performance and receiving widespread praise as one of his side’s best players on the night.

Alvarez felt some discomfort during the game, prompting concern within the Atletico dressing room. A subsequent magnetic resonance imaging scan confirmed the injury and ruled him out of the meeting with Osasuna, despite his attempts to return in time.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, the 26-year-old has increased his individual workload in recent days. He completed an on-pitch session on Friday morning before joining Atletico’s group training.

Alvarez also continued working during the team’s allocated rest day as he targets a place in the squad for the derby at the Metropolitano.

The forward had stepped away from media interviews for a period, choosing instead to concentrate on recovering his fitness and preparing for the match.

He has made the derby one of his main objectives, viewing it as an opportunity to respond on the pitch and reclaim the attention he attracted after his outstanding display against Real Madrid last season.

His free-kick goal against Real Madrid, together with the two goals that helped Atletico secure victory, remains fresh in the memories of the club’s supporters and Alvarez himself. The player had been hoping to reproduce that performance in another meeting with Atletico’s traditional rivals.

During his recovery, Alvarez has followed an intensive programme involving work in the gym, sessions on the pitch and treatment with physiotherapists.

Atletico’s medical staff are continuing to handle his rehabilitation cautiously, however, in an effort to prevent the injury from worsening or returning before he has fully recovered.

A full 90-minute appearance is considered unlikely, but Alvarez remains determined to be included in the squad, even if that means limiting his involvement to the closing stages of the match.

The striker is seeking to make use of any opportunity to demonstrate his readiness and commitment in one of Atletico’s most important fixtures of the season, with the derby taking place at the Metropolitano.