Official: Atlético Madrid star to miss Barcelona clash
Diego Simeone has received an unwelcome blow just hours before one of Atlético Madrid's biggest matches of the season.
Details: Atlético Madrid have officially announced their squad for the LaLiga showdown against Barcelona, and Argentine centre-back Cristian Romero has been left out. The 28-year-old defender is still struggling with a muscle injury sustained in October and will be unavailable for the crucial encounter at the Metropolitano.
Romero last appeared on October 17 against Espanyol. Although he returned to the squad for the match against Levante, the Argentine remained on the bench without playing a single minute. He subsequently missed the Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich and has not recovered in time to face Barcelona.
There is some positive news for Simeone, however. Johnny Cardoso and Morten Hjulmand have both been included in the squad, alongside Jan Oblak, Marcos Llorente, David Hancko, Julián Álvarez and Lee Kang-in. The Atlético coach will now have to reorganise his defence for the meeting with the league leaders.
It's worth noting that Atlético Madrid have won seven consecutive LaLiga matches and conceded just eight goals in their opening 11 league fixtures. The Madrid club currently sit second with 28 points, only two behind Barcelona.
Reminder: A surprising weakness! Raphinha's record raises eyebrows ahead of Atlético showdown
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
