At a Glance:
- Piero Hincapie praised Julian Alvarez.
- Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal: Champions League semi-final first leg.
- Hincapie and Alvarez’s head-to-head.
Piero Hincapie has revealed how he feels about Julian Alvarez as a player after having played against him on two instances for Bayer Leverkusen.
Arsenal are interested in signing Alvarez and as a result, Mikel Arteta will be aware of how much of a threat the star striker can be.
Hincapie and his Gunners teammates will have to be at their impregnable best to keep the Argentine quiet, who has scored 19 goals in all competitions this campaign.
William Saliba and Gabriel Maglahaes will be key against Atletico Madrid in particular to ensure that the World Cup winner has an off day.
Piero Hincapie praises Julian Alvarez ahead of Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal
Hincapie was full of praise for Alvarez while speaking to Spanish outlet Diario AS, as the defender recounted his experience of locking horns with the Atletico Madrid marksman.
“Julian is an incredible player, truly. He has many qualities, he moves all over the pitch, he’s a very physical and technical player, and also very intelligent.
The Arsenal left-back pinpointed how the two-time Premier League winner is not just a goalscorer but also a player who is technically gifted, smart and blessed with astute movement.
“I think he’s a fantastic player, but I don’t know if his playing time will affect us. We just have to see what kind of team Atletico fields and counter them.”
While Alvarez could hurt Arsenal, he is yet to so far, having failed to score against them in five appearances.
| Julian Alvarez’s record vs Arsenal | Stats |
| Appearances | 5 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
Out of these fives games, the decorated goalscorer has only started in two.
Julian Alvarez record vs Piero Hincapie
The Gunners have played against some of the most lethal attackers in the world this campaign such as Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah to name a few.
As a result, Arsenal will embrace the challenge of facing Alvarez, as will Hincapie himself.
| Julian Alvarez’s record vs Piero Hincapie | Stats |
| Matches | 2 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Losses | 0 |
Interestingly, Hincapie scored for Leverkusen in their 2-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid last season.
The Ecuadorian will be keen to contribute in a similar manner while beating Alvarez and Co this time around.
