Atletico Madrid stalwart racing to be fit for Bayer Leverkusen showdown | OneFootball

Atletico Madrid are well-placed to finish inside the top eight of the Champions League, and victory over Bayer Leverkusen would help their cause. The reigning Bundesliga champions, who are currently fourth, head to the Metropolitano for their MD7 league phase fixture, and a lot is on the line.

As such, Diego Simeone will be desperate to have all of his options available, although there are doubts about Jose Maria Gimenez, who has been out since the end of 2024 with a calf injury. Marca say he is closing in on a return, and extra effort is being made to ensure that he can be included in the matchday squad to face Leverkusen.

Atletico Madrid have kept up their winning streak in spite of Gimenez’s absence, although they have had Robin Le Normand back, and this has softened the blow. Nevertheless, the Uruguayan defender is a crucial player, so his presence will be needed on Tuesday.