The worst news in the last international break for Atlético de Madrid has been the muscle injury suffered by Pablo Barrios, who will be out for several weeks. The Atlético youth player was one of the best players in the Colchoneros team during this start of the season. His absence comes at a very delicate time for Simeone, as September is a month full of matches and with very little rest.
Right now, the Argentine coach only has three midfielders at his disposal, waiting for Thomas Lemar . In addition, the matches that Pablo Barrios could miss are not at all irrelevant, as there are very decisive matches. His return could occur just before the next international break in October, although the Metropolitano will not take any risks.
Pablo Barrios' absences
The Spanish midfielder had to leave the training camp with the Spanish Under-21 team after suffering a muscle problem . Already in Madrid, medical tests revealed that he had a muscle injury in his left leg , which is pending further development. Obviously, he will be out for this Sunday's match against Valencia , although he could have started as a substitute anyway.
However, considering that he could be out for up to a month , there are more games that he will miss. He will not be in the Champions League opener against Leipzig nor in the following league match against Rayo Vallecano . He is also expected to be out of the squad for Atlético de Madrid's visit to Celta de Vigo on the 26th.
The Madrid derby against Real Madrid will be played on Sunday 29th and, at the moment, everything points to Pablo Barrios not being available yet. His return could take place in the second matchday of the Champions League against Benfica in Lisbon. Otherwise, the Spanish international would have to wait until the clash between the colchoneros and Real Sociedad in San Sebastian on 6th October.
Simeone's options
Pablo Barrios was one of the undisputed starters in the Argentine's scheme, and he will have to find a solution. There are only three midfielders available in the Atlético squad, taking into account that Thomas Lemar is still out of training . It will be a golden opportunity for Rodrigo de Paul and Conor Gallagher , two players who were fighting for the last vacant spot.
Simeone 's other option is to go back to two attacking midfielders, something he already did with Samuel Lino in the first matches. In that case, he would only use two midfielders , leaving a third on the substitutes' bench. His last option is to go for Javi Serrano , who played a lot of minutes in preseason and already made his debut with the first team in 2022 .