Rival watch: Atletico Madrid midfield ace a doubt for derby against Real Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid are in action later tonight as they take on Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga.

Once that is out of the way, the Merengues will tackle two matches over the next week in the league before the first international break of the new season arrives.

The first of the two fixtures will see Real Madrid take on Elche before facing local rivals Atletico Madrid away at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano – a game that Jose Mourinho & co. will have circled in red.

Atletico Madrid set to miss a key player

Now, leading up to the Madrileno derby, Atletico Madrid have been dealt a major injury blow.

Key midfielder Pablo Barrios suffered an injury during the Rojiblancos’ UEFA Champions League clash with Liverpool, leaving his participation in next week’s derby against Real Madrid in serious doubt, reports AS.

The news is a blow for Diego Simeone and a boost for Real Madrid with just over a week to go before the contest at the Metropolitano.

Atletico confirmed that Pablo Barrios has suffered a low-grade myofascial injury to his right leg.

The midfielder finished the Champions League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield experiencing discomfort, and subsequent medical tests confirmed the injury.

Barrios will definitely miss Sunday’s La Liga match against Real Sociedad and is also expected to be unavailable for next week’s fixture against Osasuna.

The bigger concern is the derby on 20 September, as Barrios faces a race against time to recover for the visit of Real Madrid.

Pablo Barrios is a major doubt to face Real Madrid. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Atletico have not given a specific recovery timeline, stating only that his return will depend on how the injury develops. At present, however, the indications are not particularly encouraging.

A major blow for Simeone

Barrios’ potential absence would be a significant setback for Simeone. The midfielder has established himself as an important part of Atletico Madrid’s midfield.

Indeed, the 23-year-old Spaniard has started four out of Atleti’s five matches across all competitions in 2026/27 so far, even registering an assist in the process.

As such, his absence could be felt dearly by the Colchoneros in the derby.

Simeone does have alternatives, including Koke, Morten Hjulmand, Johnny Cardoso, Rodrigo Mendoza and Obed Vargas, but replacing Barrios would still be a major challenge for one of the most important fixtures of the season.