EI Atlético will not keep a good memory of the international break, beyond individual successes such as Llorente's debut with the National Team. The rojiblanco team faced the break in its best moment of the season, after channeling the change of style towards an offensive football, find the best version of midfield with Koke and Herrera at the controls, see the João Félix's explosion, Suárez's goals, Llorente and Correa's evolution and defensive solidity with Oblak and Savic in the lead.
It looked like the ideal moment to face a Barcelona with doubts and with the Uruguayan striker wanting to make up for his departure. However, the international stoppage meant that 14 players from the first team, to which Manu Sánchez was added with the U21, set course with their respective national teams, with the risk that this entails both muscularly and in the health aspect with the coronavirus crisis that affects the whole world.
A COVID-19 that has hit the rojiblanco team after know that Luis Suárez has contracted the disease during the concentration with Uruguay, where Matías Viña was the first positive, and that will prevent him from playing against Barcelona and Lokomotiv, key games for LaLiga and the Champions League. Fingers cross at the club so that Torreira and Giménez, who recently overcame the disease, arrive in full condition.
The Uruguayan will not be the only unexpected loss to receive Barcelona. Herrera, who had stepped forward and got a hole in the middle, he has returned from Mexico with a grade II injury to the proximal third of the biceps femoris of his left thigh that will take you a few weeks off.
In addition, Simeone has taken another three scares, and not from just any players. Oblak suffered some discomfort in the shoulder that in principle will allow him to play today in Greece. Savic returned from Montenegro early with some annoying of which its scope is not yet known and Trippier was replaced with England after a blow to the head. The three players with the most minutes this season have suffered mishaps and have made Cholo sweat.
Carrasco, the good news
If the break has led to bad news, it has also had good news. Carrasco returned to the group on Monday and he is fully recovered from the muscle injury that had him four games off the pitch. The Belgian is a key piece for Atlético's attack and he knows how to hurt Barcelona. Further, Kondogbia completed the match with his national team without mishaps and it can come in handy to pick up pace after a long time stopped. The Frenchman, international with the Central African Republic team, has also been exercising with his teammates in Madrid since Monday and could be the one chosen to replace Herrera.