The Rojiblancos have to face Real Madrid without a key midfielder.
Rodrigo De Paul has suffered a thigh injury ahead of Atletico Madrid’s upcoming clash against Real Madrid.
The Argentine international limped off his side’s 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. A statement from Atletico has now confirmed De Paul’s injury is more serious than initially expected.
“Rodrigo De Paul is suffering from a thigh injury, according to the medical tests he has undergone after ended up with muscular problems the match against Athletic Bilbao,” the official statement reads.
“The midfielder will begin to receive physiotherapy sessions, rehabilitation training and is pending evolution.”
The Spanish giants have offered no timeframe for De Paul’s return. But Spanish sources have speculated he’ll stay out of action for at least a month.
De Paul’s injury is a serious blow to Atletico, who are fighting to secure a top-four spot in La Liga. After a period of underwhelming results, Diego Simeone’s side have managed to show significant signs of improvement in recent weeks.
The Rojiblancos have won four of their last five games ahead of the Madrid derby, facing their city rivals with fine form. Let’s see if they can continue their brilliant run of results against Real Madrid on Saturday.