Simeone without Koke and Azpilicueta for Champions League derby

Both players continue to recover from muscle injuries and were the only absentees from the morning session at the club's training complex in Majadahonda. The squad returned to the pitch just two days after their hard-fought 1-0 league victory over Athletic Club.

Koke sustained his injury during Atletico's win over Celta Vigo on February 15, later being diagnosed with a "muscular injury in his right leg." No specific recovery timeline was given, but the captain has now missed over two weeks of action, sitting out games against Valencia (0-3), Barcelona in the Copa del Rey (4-4), and Athletic.

Azpilicueta, meanwhile, picked up his injury during the La Liga match against Valencia. Initially experiencing discomfort, his issue was only confirmed as a "moderate-grade injury in his right leg" after the following fixture against Barcelona.

The rest of the squad trained as planned, with varying workloads. Those who started against Athletic took part in a lighter session, except for Samuel Lino, who joined the rest of the group for more intense drills.

 

March 3, 2025