Atletico Madrid could be without eight senior players for the Champions League showdown against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday night (8pm).
Following a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano, the Spanish champions are set to fly into the UK today (Monday). And they approach the vital game at Old Trafford with several fitness concerns as Diego Simeone prepares to shuffle his pack.
Belgium forward Yannick Carrasco had already been ruled out through suspension. Beyond that, though, Atletico have been hit with injuries to other key players. Daniel Wass, Sime Vrsaljko, Mario Hermoso, Matheus Cunha and Thomas Lemar are set to miss out.
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Experienced defender Jose Gimenez has also picked up a calf problem while Geoffrey Kondogbia — who was one of their stand-out performers in the first leg — has a muscular concern. Those two will be given every chance to feature, but the likelihood of that appears slim.
Despite those setbacks, there is some encouraging news for Simeone as he prepares to welcome back Argentina striker Angel Correa (ankle), while midfield general Koke is also available for selection. Hermoso featured in part of their final session before departure, although he remains doubtful.
After progressing through the group stage, United fell behind against Atletico in the first leg as Portuguese starlet Joao Felix opened the scoring with an early header. Not quite at their best, the Premier League giants hit back in the second half when youngster Anthony Elanga struck.
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