Atletico Madrid have suffered a big blow ahead of next week’s Champions League last 16 tie against Manchester United.
United head to the Spanish capital for the first leg of their encounter on Wednesday, where they’ll be hoping to progress to the quarter-finals in their last hope of silverware this season.
And Ralf Rangnick’s side may well be boosted by the news that Atletico look likely to be without one of their key players for the tie.
The Spanish champions have confirmed forward Matheus Cunha has suffered a torsion on his right knee, and will have to undergo tests to find out the full extent of the injury.
The Brazilian has been deputising for Luis Suarez in Atletico’s side this season, with the former Liverpool striker having fallen out of favour at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Cunha suffered the injury during Atletico’s 1-0 defeat to La Liga’s bottom side Levante on Wednesday night, with the result another low in what has been a disappointing season for the Spanish champions.
The result leaves them outside the top four as – much like United – they face a battle qualify for next season’s Champions League after seeing title hopes extinguished early in the campaign.
It means there is plenty on next week’s tie for both teams, with Atletico boss Diego Simeone vowing an improvement from his side.
Simeone told AS : “We played a bad game, we lost a nice opportunity to put ourselves in a good situation in the league and we will have to make a double effort to remedy it.
“The reality is what it is, many will think that it is impossible to reach the Champions League, I say no, but you have to prove it with facts, words alone are boring.”
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