Last week, it was confirmed that Pablo Barrios, who has started the season as one of Atletico Madrid’s best players, had suffered a muscular injury whilst on international duty. It was expected that he’d be out for three weeks, which would have made it very difficult for him to return in time for the Madrid derby later this month.
Barrios has also been set to miss Atleti’s next three matches: away trips to RB Leipzig, Rayo Vallecano and Celta Vigo. However, there is hope of him amassing some minutes in these upcoming fixtures, as Marca have reported that he trained on the grass during Tuesday’s session.
If his progress continues at this pace, there’s a very good chance that Barrios is back to face Real Madrid – this would be fantastic news for Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone. They may not have missed him against Valencia, but the 21-year-old undoubtedly makes Los Colchoneros a better team.