Atletico Madrid Faces Injury Crisis Ahead of Pivotal Barcelona Encounters

Atletico Madrid's training session on Wednesday brought unwelcome news, as two key players returned from international duty nursing injuries. These setbacks cast a shadow over their preparations for a pivotal series of upcoming matches, raising doubts over their availability.

The Rojiblancos face a challenging schedule, beginning with hosting Barcelona at the Metropolitano this Saturday. They will then travel to Camp Nou the following Wednesday for a Champions League clash. Sandwiched between these crucial fixtures is an away game against Sevilla and the Champions League quarter-final second leg at home. Their busy April concludes with the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad in Seville.

Alexander Sørloth required six stitches following his head collision last night. His injury will be assessed.@marca pic.twitter.com/ADyiPe3GJl

— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) April 1, 2026

Alexander Sørloth Sustains Head Injury

Atletico confirmed via a statement on Wednesday that Alexander Sørloth required stitches for a head injury sustained during international duty with Norway. According to Diario AS, Sørloth is scheduled for further tests on Thursday and might miss this weekend's La Liga fixture as a precautionary measure. Despite this, he is anticipated to be available for the Champions League encounter against Barcelona next week.

Johnny Cardoso's Muscle Strain Raises Concerns

Meanwhile, the situation surrounding Johnny Cardoso appears to be more critical. Initially diagnosed with a muscle strain while with the USMNT, subsequent tests upon his return to Madrid indicate a potentially more severe injury. Conveniently, Cardoso is suspended for the La Liga match against Barcelona, granting him an additional week to recuperate before the first European fixture.

Marca reports that the muscular injury is indeed significant, potentially sidelining him for approximately two weeks. This timeline would make him a doubt for the Copa del Rey final on April 18th, though he might, at a stretch, be able to feature in the Champions League second leg against Barcelona on the 14th.

These injuries severely deplete Diego Simeone's midfield options, especially with Pablo Barrios also striving for fitness ahead of the final. Consequently, Koke Resurreccion is expected to take on a deeper midfield role. While Rodrigo Mendoza is returning, Marcos Llorente might be deployed more frequently in central midfield, with either Marc Pubill or Nahuel Molina filling in at right-back. It's worth noting that Llorente will also be unavailable for the upcoming league encounter against Barcelona.