Diego Costa has been included in Atletico Madrid’s squad to face Arsenal on Thursday.
The Gunners’ arch-villain had been expected to miss the first leg of the Europa League semi-final after picking up a hamstring injury in the last round against Sporting.
But streetfighter Costa – a thorn in Arsenal’s side during his three seasons at Chelsea – could yet prove their undoing in their bid to win a final trophy for Arsene Wenger.
Costa has missed Atletico’s last three matches. Boss Diego Simeone had all but ruled him out on this week’s tie.
Speaking last Saturday Simeone said: “The doctors will inform us but I think it won’t be possible for him to be ready for Thursday’s game.
“He will be [available] for sure in the return leg, but I think he has no chance to be [fit] for the first leg game.”
Arsenal will hope to use as their FA Cup Final win last year – and their Premier League home victory – as a guide to silencing Costa.
The Brazil born Spain international, however, is known to have been unsettled and went on to be exiled from Chelsea last summer.
In two of his previous meetings with Arsenal, Costa scored twice and forced the dismissals of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.
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