Simeone received some great news this morning after yesterday's draw against Real Madrid at the Metropolitano (1-1). The red-and-white team has returned to training in Majadahonda with their sights set on Wednesday's decisive match against Benfica. Pablo Barrios, who will not be in Lisbon but is finishing off the last days of his recovery, was seen on the pitch.
The Atlético player suffered a muscle injury during his training camp with the Spanish Under-21 team , leaving him out for around a month. So far, Atlético de Madrid have been able to make up for his injury very well and remain unbeaten this season. Everything points to his return being on Sunday against Real Sociedad , just before the next break in October.
Pablo Barrios speeds up his recovery
During the first few days of the league championship , one of the players who received the most praise was the Madrid midfielder. Pablo Barrios had managed to take a step forward in the midfield, earning himself many minutes on the pitch. In fact, in the first game in which Koke was a substitute this season, he was replaced by the young midfielder .
In fact, when it was announced that he had suffered a muscle injury , many fans thought it was a more than significant loss for the team. He was one of the regular starters under Simeone and seemed to have taken on the role of a veteran of the Atlético squad. Now, after several weeks out, he has been able to step onto the Majadahonda pitch and is preparing for his official return.
For now, he will not be available for Wednesday's match against Benfica , but he could be ready for the weekend. Just before the next international break, Atlético de Madrid visits San Sebastián to face Real Sociedad . It was the match marked in red on the calendar for the possible return of Pablo Barrios , who will take advantage of the international commitments to get back into competitive rhythm.
Koke rests for Lisbon
One of the big surprises yesterday against Real Madrid was the substitution of the Atlético captain, who was looking like a starter. Except for one game, Koke had been a starter in all ofAtlético Madrid's games this season. However, with such a busy schedule, it was clear that he would need to rest in some of the matches.
Simeone brought him on in the second half , looking to give more consistency to the engine room when the red-and-whites were looking for a goal. Evidently, he aims to return to the starting line-up against Benfica in a match that will not be easy for the colchoneros. It should be remembered that the Portuguese team has one more day of rest after beating Gil Vicente at home last Saturday.