Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid duo pick up injuries ahead of the World Cup
Atletico Madrid are set to wrap up the first half of the 2022/23 campaign when they take on Almazan in the first round of Copa Del Rey.
However, heading into the contest, it appears two of their key players have picked up knocks, just two weeks before the FIFA World Cup gets underway. The players in question are Yannick Carrasco and Alvaro Morata, as confirmed by the club.
Carrasco has picked up a muscle contracture whereas Morata has a low-grade muscle injury. They have not trained with the rest of the team heading into the Copa Del Rey game and it appears they have been ruled out of the tie.
Their potential knocks just ahead of the World Cup could prove to be catastrophic as both players have been selected for their respective nations heading into the coveted competition.
Carrasco was selected for the Belgian national team while Morata is expected to spearhead the Spanish attacking line, under the leadership of former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique.
However, both their injuries appear to be rather mild and nothing that should worry the players or the coaches. There is a possibility that their absence from the Copa Del Rey is merely a precautionary measure, given that Atletico Madrid have been drawn against a relatively straightforward opponent.
Picking up an injury in this first-round game, therefore, could be massively disappointing for either of the players. Hence, missing out on the game against Almazan could be the prudent move, although it would certainly make the job a bit more difficult for Diego Simeone’s men.
The club from the capital, after all, have endured a difficult time with cup competitions so far this season and following eliminations from both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, they will be keen on avoiding any upset this weekend.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid to rival Inter, AC Milan and Roma for 23-year-old centre-forward
Atletico Madrid are set to enter the market for another striker in the summer transfer window even though they signed Memphis Depay in January from Barcelona.
And according to Italian journalist Giacomo Iacobellis, Atletico Madrid are interested in signing 23-year-old striker Mateo Retegui, who is also on the radars of AC Milan, Inter and AS Roma.
Retegui, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, also has Italian citizenship and has recently been called up by Roberto Mancini to the national team squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.
The 23-year-old striker is currently plying his trade for Argentine outfit Tigre, on loan from Boca Juniors, having joined in February last year. He has made a solid impression so far in his time with his temporary club and has six goals in seven league appearances this season so far.
It has alerted Atletico Madrid, who are on the lookout for a new centre-forward. Depay was brought in earlier this year to replace Joao Felix, who left on loan and is likely to be sold permanently to Chelsea in the summer.
Having lost Matheus Cunha as well during the winter, Diego Simeone’s side do not have great depth up top, especially with Alvaro Morata not performing consistently. Hence, a new centre-forward could arrive at the Civitas Metropolitano, with Retegui emerging as an option.
Retegui’s loan deal runs until the end of this year, with Tigre having the option to make the transfer permanent. His contract with Boca Juniors expires at the end of December 2024.
Apart from Atletico, Italian clubs like AS Roma, AC Milan and Inter Milan are also keen on the 23-year-old and it remains to be seen if Retegui moves to Europe come summer.
