Julian Alvarez to miss Osasuna clash through injury and remains a doubt for Real Madrid derby

Atletico Madrid will face Osasuna on Wednesday without one of their headline summer signings. Diego Simeone has confirmed that Julian Alvarez is unavailable due to a muscle overload, making it back-to-back absences for the forward after he missed last Sunday's trip to Real Sociedad. His recovery over the coming days will determine whether he can feature in Sunday's derby against Real Madrid at the Metropolitano.

• Julian Alvarez will miss the Osasuna match because of a muscle overload.
• It is his second consecutive absence after sitting out the game at Anoeta against Real Sociedad.
• The striker withdrew from training on Saturday and scans confirmed the overload.
• Simeone says he is still recovering and will not travel on Wednesday.
• His participation in Sunday's derby against Real Madrid remains uncertain.

What is wrong with Julian Alvarez and why he will not play against Osasuna

Concern first grew during Saturday's training session, when the former Manchester City player had to leave the pitch after feeling muscle discomfort. Subsequent medical tests revealed an overload, which already ruled him out of the match against Real Sociedad in San Sebastián. Simeone was clear about the situation: "From what we discussed with the doctors on Tuesday, he is still in the recovery process and will not be with us on Wednesday."

A difficult start to the season for the Argentine forward

Alvarez's opening weeks as an Atletico player have been anything but smooth. The Argentine international only joined preseason training on August 10, after playing in the 2026 World Cup final that his national team won. Since then, a combination of that late arrival, an illness and his current muscle overload has limited him to just three of the six official matches Atletico have played so far.

Of those three appearances, only one came as a starter: last week's clash at Anfield against Liverpool. It is a statistic that highlights how difficult it has been for the forward to build any competitive rhythm in his first weeks at the club, precisely when Simeone needs his attacking pieces to gel quickly.

Simeone confirms the absence and keeps an eye on Sunday's derby

From what we discussed with the doctors on Tuesday, he is still in the recovery process and will not be with us on Wednesday.

With Osasuna ruled out, all attention now shifts to Real Madrid's visit to the Metropolitano. The Argentine coach has not closed the door on Alvarez featuring in the derby, but neither has he guaranteed his involvement. The muscle overload requires careful management to avoid a setback that would extend his absence during a demanding run of fixtures.

What is at stake for Atletico against Osasuna without Julian Alvarez

Atletico host the Navarre side needing three points to keep pace at the top of the table and to arrive at the Real Madrid showdown with confidence. Alvarez's absence forces Simeone to reshape his attack, where options such as Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Sorloth will have to carry a heavier scoring burden.

Julian Alvarez and Atletico: a partnership still waiting for lift-off

The signing of Julian Alvarez was one of Atletico's biggest moves of the summer transfer window, a move designed to raise the team's attacking output. Yet physical problems and the lack of a full preseason have slowed his adaptation. With just one start to his name, the Argentine is still searching for the sharpness that would turn him into the decisive player the club expected when they brought him in.

FAQ about Julian Alvarez's injury