Atletico Madrid looked as good as they have done all season on Saturday night as they sliced through Real Valladolid, winning out 3-0. However with the Madrid derby just three days away, Diego Simeone looks as if he will be without one of his key players.
According to Relevo, Marcos Llorente will miss 2-3 weeks of action after he picked up a minor tear in his adductor muscle. The injury was sustained against Valladolid and tested on Monday.
It will be a significant blow for Atleti, who do not have another player that can substitute him in a similar fashion. On Thursday Atletico face rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, one of two remaining objectives for the season along with finishing in the top four.
Unless Simeone changes formation, then he will be forced to pick from Geoffrey Kondogbia, Rodrigo de Paul and Saul Niguez, none of whom have been in inspiring form of late.
Llorente is likely to miss league matches against Osasuna, Getafe and Cadiz. Should Los Colchoneros come through their tie against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, he will also be at risk of missing the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on the 8th of February.
