Atlético de Madrid are still recovering some of their players ahead of a very demanding month of September, with Thomas Lemar being one of the last to return. The French midfielder has not yet been included in any of the squad lists, despite having minutes in the preseason. In fact, he had not been present in the rest of the training sessions either, following an individualised plan for several weeks.
Today, he was able to do some exercises with the rest of his teammates, although his return will be gradual. Right now, it seems unlikely that the French world champion will have a leading role at Atlético de Madrid , given that he has a lot of competition. However, he could be on the list that Simeone will offer for the match against Leipzig this Thursday.
Thomas Lemar returns to the pitch
The Frenchman's season has been one of the strangest in recent memory, with him playing in friendlies and then disappearing from the red-and-white team. Thomas Lemar had a certain role during the pre-season, but has not played a single minute in official matches. In fact, he has not been included in any of the squad lists that Simeone has offered for the league championship.
Today, he did some exercises with the rest of his teammates, but he will gradually be incorporated into the team's dynamic. At the moment, he is one of only three players who have been able to debut this season, with Clement Lenglet and Javi Galán being the other two. In addition, the midfield has very established players who will make it very difficult for Thomas Lemar to gain prominence.
The red-and-white team tried to find a way out for him in the last days of the transfer market, but no club was willing to take on his contract. It should be remembered that the midfielder has a contract until 2027 and has suffered numerous physical problems in recent years. Thus, it seems difficult to find a solution for both parties, but the player could have minutes again soon.
Rodrigo de Paul vindicates himself
The injuries to Thomas Lemar and Pablo Barrios have meant that some players have been able to step up and get more minutes. Conor Gallagher is a newcomer and all eyes have been on Rodrigo de Paul, who has always received a lot of criticism. Atlético fans have always asked the Argentine to be able to show that consistency and good level that has always been seen with Argentina .
For now, except for his minutes in the first matchday against Villarreal , it seems that Rodrigo de Paul has managed to put that extra gear. He has the confidence of Simeone and is showing a good version at the start of this campaign, something very necessary in this context. The former Udinese player knows that he has no more room for error in his fourth season as a rojiblanco and wants to be able to lift his first trophy at the Metropolitano .