Atletico Madrid Captain Koke Faces Muscle Injury at Crucial Time

Key Takeaways

Club captain Koke suffers a muscle injury.
The injury is confirmed to be serious.
Koke will undergo physiotherapy and gym recovery.
Upcoming matches include Copa del Rey and Champions League fixtures.
Atletico Madrid currently trails FC Barcelona and Real Madrid by one point.

Madrid (Spain), Feb 18 (NationPress) Atletico Madrid has experienced a significant setback with the absence of club captain Koke due to a muscle injury, occurring at a critical juncture in the season—right before crucial matches.

The club announced on its official site that Koke "finished the match last Saturday against RC Celta feeling some discomfort," further stating that "the midfielder underwent several tests post-match, and the medical examinations confirmed an injury to his right leg."

Atletico clarified that he will "receive physiotherapy and engage in recovery exercises at the gym," although the club has not specified a recovery timeline. However, sources from the Spanish sports media have suggested that the injury is "considerable," indicating that Koke might be sidelined for several weeks, according to reports from Xinhua.

This injury arises just one week before Atletico's crucial match against FC Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal and two weeks before the knockout stage of the Champions League, where they could potentially face Bayern Munich or local rivals Real Madrid.

Atletico also has significant La Liga matches approaching, as they aim to close a one-point gap with FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, including a visit to a resurgent Valencia next Saturday and a home game against fourth-placed Athletic Club Bilbao the following weekend.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone has already lost Pablo Barrios due to a red card received during Saturday's 1-1 draw against Celta.

With 11 La Liga titles to their name, Atletico Madrid currently sits third in the 2024-25 standings, accumulating 50 points from 24 matches. They trail joint leaders FC Barcelona and Real Madrid by just one point, with the two teams separated by goal difference. Throughout 24 matches, Atletico has recorded 14 wins, 2 losses, and 8 draws.