Atlético remains low on the right side. The departure of Arias to Bayer Leverkusen, the colombian suffered yesterday a very serious injury with your team, left a planning with Trippier and Vrsaljko fighting for the starting position. But the Croatian has not just started, still with the aftermath of that knee injury suffered in January 2019 when he was on loan at Inter Milan.
Vrsaljko returned to Atlético lto last season and came to participate in seven meetings, being a starter against Liverpool in the Wanda Metropolitano and winning the game on several occasions to Arias himself as the one chosen to fulfill the loss of Trippier. However, on May 21 he underwent surgery again for remove the surgical material from the previous intervention using arthroscopy. The initial plan was for him to be suitable for the return of LaLiga after the stoppage due to the pandemic, but the deadlines were extended and when he was expected for the final phase of the Champions League, was low for contracting the cornavirus. You have now undergone a arthroscopic resection in the left knee and will have to go back to a long period of sick leave.
Departures also in Atleti B
Thus, the Cholo is left with Trippier as the only first team player for the position. The Argentine coach had made his youth debut in that position Carlos Isaac and Andrés Solano, but the two have come out this summer with so much movement in the rojiblanco second team. The first left transferred to Alavés, although he plays on loan at Albacete and the second set course for Barça B.
But Simeone has an ace up his sleeve, since he has another right back with full guarantees in his quarry. Ricard Sánchez (02-22-2000) will for the moment be the alternative to Trippier and the replacement for Vrsaljko. The 20-year-old has not made his debut with the first team, but his presence in the calls has been common, the last one in the game against Villarreal a week ago. A right-back with great power in the career and a lot of offensive vocation, which has led him to even play as a winger (he entered a call for Simeone as a forward theoretician). The Tarragona soccer player He has been a U-19 international and in the mattress quarry they have high hopes for his evolution.
Regular in training with Cholo since 2018, appearing that same year in the call for the League match against Barcelona before the multiple casualties in the rear, Ricard played 25 games last season with Atleti B, being the one chosen on the right side to play the game of Promotion playoff against Sabadell where the rojiblanco team fell on penalties. A footballer with character, strength and good technique in the final meters who has not gone unnoticed.
Atlético can still go to the transfer market to incorporate a LaLiga player for the unilateral termination of Thomas's contract on the horn to sign for Arsenal and although the efforts are placed on a midfielder, they could also veer towards a right back (the Ghanaian player himself was a wild card in that position when necessary). But in the meantime, and with Trippier as the only healthy right-back on the squad, Ricard strives to show in each training session that he is ready to have his chance.