Atletico Madrid got off to a good start in La Liga with their 3-1 victory over Granada, but the sour note was particularly so. After just five minutes, captain Koke Resurreccion was forced off with a hamstring injury.
On the positive side was the fact that youngster Pablo Barrios came on for Koke and put in an excellent performance in his stead. However on Thursday, Barrios was forced to stop training after the first 15 minutes, feeling discomfort in his leg. Marca say that no injury was found, but that Barrios is now a serious doubt for their clash with Real Betis on Sunday.
🚨| Today’s XI in training:
🧤 Oblak
🛡️ Llorente – Azpilicueta – Savic – Hermoso – Carrasco
⚙️ De Paul – WITSEL – Lemar
🎯 Griezmann – Morata
Morata went off for Memphis. Azpilicueta, Llorente, and Witsel switched positions.
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) August 17, 2023
Axel Witsel has made a career in the position, but Diego Simeone has said he sees him more as a central defender these days. Yet if Barrios does not improve, then Witsel will start at the Benito Villamarin.
While this in itself is not a disaster, Simeone will not want to be left with just one option in the position, with no other natural alternatives. Both he and Atletico Madrid have been transparent about their intentions to sign an alternative to Koke this summer, but thus far they have not been able to bring one in.
