Diego Simeone must rally his Atletico Madrid staff for his or her crunch weekend conflict with Barcelona.
Los Rojiblancos noticed their UEFA Champions League dream resulted in controversial model in midweek through a penalty shootout loss to Actual Madrid.
Regardless of the continuing fallout over Julian Alvarez’s ‘double contact’ penalty, Simeone has little alternative however to pull his squad ahead, to maintain alive their home problem.
Actual Madrid head to Villarreal on Saturday, with Simeone internet hosting leaders Barcelona the next day, and the title hole might be 4 factors earlier than kick off in Madrid.
Barcelona and Actual Madrid are presently tied on 57 factors on the summit with Atletico Madrid one level behind in third spot.
Nonetheless, a unfavourable outcome in opposition to Hansi Flick’s staff may see Simeone’s prices unravel, on the again of a draining battle in opposition to Carlo Ancelotti.
Simeone has tweaked the coaching plan forward of going through Barcelona, to maximise relaxation, and his gamers will solely have one full coaching session in between video games.
Membership captain Koke is battling to be slot in time to start out and he could also be wanted amid concern over Rodrigo De Paul.
The Argentina worldwide has been carrying a thigh downside in current weeks and he has not accomplished 90 minutes within the final three video games.
He was withdrawn simply earlier than further time in opposition to Actual Madrid as the difficulty grew to become an excessive amount of for him to hold on.
As per studies from Diario AS, Atletico Madrid are making each effort to maintain him within the reckoning for Sunday, however his chances are high rated at 50-50 .
Koke continues to coach individually as a part of his restoration, and neither participant shall be 100% match, however Simeone’s choice is to danger De Paul and maintain the previous again.
His harm shall be assessed subsequent week forward of a possible withdrawal from worldwide obligation with Argentina for his or her 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier double header in opposition to Uruguay and Brazil.