Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid midfielder suspended for Barcelona clash as appeal rejected
In a major blow for Atletico Madrid, key midfielder Marcos Llorente will miss the upcoming La Liga encounter against Barcelona due to suspension, reports MARCA.
The 28-year-old versatile midfielder is a regular fixture in the starting XI for Diego Simeone’s side when fit and available. He has played 28 times across all competitions this term, chipping in with three goals and assists each.
Llorente picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in La Liga in Atletico Madrid’s previous match against Almeria. It meant an automatic one-match ban for the Spanish internationa, which would rule him out against Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid, though, lodged an appeal to try and overturn the yellow card he received in the game against Almeria.
As per MARCA, the Rojiblancos claimed that there had been a ‘manifest error’ in the referee’s official match report which cited that Llorente was cautioned for ‘stopping a promising attack’.
However, the Appeals Committee ruled that there was not enough evidence to support these claims and that there was no error spotted. Hence, the appeal from Simeone’s side was rejected, resulting in Llorente being suspended for the trip to Catalonia this weekend.
While Llorente is certain to miss the game, Atletico Madrid are also sweating over the fitness of former Barcelona forward Memphis Depay, who is yet to rejoin team training and is still doing individual work as he continues to recover from an injury.
Los Rojiblancos are the most in-form team in La Liga heading into this weekend’s clash. Indeed, since losing 1-0 to Barcelona in January earlier this year, Simeone’s men have not faced a single defeat in La Liga, stringing together a 13-game unbeaten run, winning each of their last six.
It remains to be seen how Simeone manages to deal with the absence of a key member like Llorente against Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid News
Atletico Madrid midfielder on the derby against Real Madrid: “Very difficult to beat them”
Following a 1-1 draw in their Champions League opener against Lazio, Atletico Madrid will shift all their attention to La Liga, as they brace themselves for the derby against Real Madrid this weekend.
Heading into this game, Atleti midfielder Marcos Llorente spoke about Real Madrid’s quality and Atletico Madrid’s chances of squeezing all three points from this iconic derby.
Llorente on Madrid derby
“The sensations are good. The team is very good, the other day we played a great game despite ending up drawing. I really think that the team did a great job that must be maintained for this match,” Llorente said in an interview with Diario AS.
When asked whether or not Real Madrid being tagged as favourites could aid Atleti, the midfielder said, “Honestly, it neither motivates me nor demotivates me. We simply have to do what we work on during the week, what the coach asks of us.”
Llorente stressed the importance of the game, adding, “It is a great rival we have in front of us, they are having a very good start to the season and that motivates me and everyone to try to play a good game.”
“Real Madrid is a great club, they have great players and it is very difficult to beat them. I think we have competed, we have also achieved several draws, but in the end, either you go out one hundred percent and do things very, very well or it is difficult to beat them,” he added.
A former member of the Real Madrid youth academy, Llorente joined Atletico Madrid in 2019. Since then, he has racked up over 150 competitive appearances for Los Colchoneros.
Llorente, though, said he feels no sense of vindication when he performs well against his former team.
“No. In the end, it’s been many years since I left there and I’m at Atlético. Perhaps in the first years, those types of feelings and sensations can arise, but today they no longer do,” he said.
Llorente on Vinicius, Koke & Bellingham
The Atletico Madrid star went on to talk about other aspects of the game, including the fact that his team had one less player every time they faced Real Madrid last season.
“I have zero worries. These are things that are not in our remit, that escape our hands. We play football, the referees referee and those who have to decide decide,” he said.
Llorente, in fact, said that the return of Koke could be a real boost for Atleti. “It is always good that Koke is with us, both on the field and in the day-to-day life of the game,” he said.
“Beyond the grass. The support he gives, the advice he gives us, his experience. it is always important to have him and it is great news that he is already training with us,” he added.
Talking about the absence of Vinicius Junior and the form of Jude Bellingham, Llorente said, “Well, you have to be careful with everyone. All Real Madrid players are very good and can make a difference at any moment of the game. Bellingham is having a great start and we have to take that into account and be very focused.”
Finally, Marcos Llorente put out a message for all the Atletico Madrid fans, claiming their support ahead of this crucial encounter this weekend.
“It will be a full house as always. We don’t have to tell them anything, they know the importance of this match for Atlético, we know that they never fail, they are always supporting us and we count on them,” he said.
