Simeone looks for options to cover Barrios | OneFootball

Atlético de Madrid returned to training yesterday after the victory against Real Betis in Seville by two goals to zero, which places them three points behind Barcelona, in second, and puts them in the mix after the Catalans' slip-up. A fight for the LaLiga leadership for which it is essential to secure three points in the match that the red-and-whites will play this Saturday at 16:15 against Sevilla at the Metropolitano. The Sevillians arrive after two consecutive league defeats and a hard-fought win over CD Toledo in the Copa del Rey.

Today's session was held at the colchonero's stronghold, a tradition that has been carried out in the last home games of this season, which ended in an Atlético victory. A new superstition of Simeone that came accompanied by rain and the absence of Juan Musso, due to a flu, and Pablo Barrios, due to a muscle injury that completely disrupts Cholo's plans to continue entrusting the midfield leadership to the Atlético youth player.

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A problem in the midfield

According to the Club, Barrios's injury is low-grade, and his return will depend on its evolution and the timelines set by the medical services. Simeone is uncertain about his replacement in the upcoming matches, although he is working on several ideas and knows that the lineup will change from game to game.

The natural replacement for the red-and-white '8' is between Conor Gallagher and Johnny Cardoso. However, the American is also returning from injury and lacks rhythm after being out for two months, and the Englishman is not at a good level, so it is more than likely that the starting pair will be Álex Baena and Koke, although Cholo does not want to overburden his captain with minutes.

Now, Atlético faces three matches at the Metropolitano where they intend to maintain the same dynamic as in recent games: high pressure and lots of possession. For this, Simeone must find an ideal replacement who performs at the same level as Barrios and provides the same clarity to the team's play that the injured midfielder offers.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.