5 May 2026

Arsenal vs Atlético: Gyökeres or Álvarez in better UCL form?

Arsenal and Atlético Madrid meet at Emirates Stadium in the UEFA Champions League 25/26 semifinals, with the tie level at 1-1 on aggregate. Ahead of kickoff, we looked at the season numbers for the starting No. 9 debate: Viktor Gyökeres for Arsenal and Julián Álvarez for Atlético. All stats come from Sofascore’s player comparison for this Champions League campaign.

Sofascore Ratings and headline output

Álvarez holds the stronger average Sofascore Rating at 7.62 across 14 appearances, compared to Gyökeres at 6.88 in 11 games. The Atlético forward has 10 goals and 4 assists, while Gyökeres sits on 5 goals and 1 assist. Álvarez also leads on expected goals, 8.23 to 5.73, and posts 0.7 goals per game versus Gyökeres at 0.5.

Shooting volume is similar off target at 1.0 per game each, but Álvarez hits 1.6 shots on target per game to Gyökeres’ 1.2. Big chances missed tip the other way, with Gyökeres on 12 and Álvarez on 5.

Chance creation and passing

The creative numbers favor Álvarez. He has 34 key passes, an 80.5% pass accuracy from 347 accurate passes, and 3.92 expected assists. He has created 5 big chances and supplied 17 accurate crosses at 26.98%. He also attempts longer distribution, completing 16 of 24 long balls.

Gyökeres has 0.68 expected assists and 1 big chance created, with crossing used sparingly at 0.1 per game. The Arsenal striker averages 70 minutes per game across 770 minutes, suggesting more rotation than Álvarez, who has logged 1174 minutes at 84 per game.

Off-ball work and duels

Álvarez contributes more in tackles and interceptions, averaging 1.0 tackles and 0.3 interceptions per game. Gyökeres offers more clearances at 0.8 per game. In duels, Gyökeres wins 1.8 ground duels per match at 44.4% and 0.7 aerial duels at 40.0%, while Álvarez wins 3.1 ground duels at 37.9% and 0.4 aerial at 23.1%.

With the ball, Álvarez completes 1.7 successful dribbles per game at 52.2%, compared to 0.3 at 37.5% for Gyökeres. Both keep a clean disciplinary record with zero yellow or red cards in this Champions League season.

Extra detail that could matter on the night

Álvarez is a set-piece asset. He has converted 3 out of 3 penalties and scored once from a free kick. Nine of his 10 goals came from inside the box, one from outside. His work rate shows in 145 sprints, a top speed of 32.904 km/h, and 41 ball recoveries, plus 13 possessions won in the attacking third. He also has 2 Team of the Week appearances on Sofascore.

Gyökeres brings size and aerial presence at 187 cm and often contests in the air more than his counterpart. Market values underline their status too, with Álvarez at €87M and Gyökeres at €61M. The matchup sits on a knife edge, and referee Daniel Siebert takes charge at Emirates Stadium. Track live momentum swings and post-match Sofascore Rating on the Sofascore app as this semifinal gets decided.