Atletico Madrid suffer another injury blow ahead of Manchester United clash

Atletico Madrid’s injury woes show no signs of slowing ahead of next week’s Champions League second leg against Manchester United with Thomas Lemar being the latest player to be ruled out.

The Frenchman suffered a muscle injury in Sunday’s 3-1 win against Real Betis, a match in which the red-and-white also saw Sime Vrsaljko and Angel Correa pick up injuries.

MARCA report that Lemar’s absence is the 39th injury Diego Simeone’s side have picked up so far this season.

However, the reigning La Liga champions have been boosted by the returns of club captain and Stefan Savic who both look set to be ready for the return leg at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

But the World Cup winner Lemar who the Spanish giants signed from Monaco for €60m (Guardian) in June 2018 will not be part of the travelling party.

The 26-year-old came off the bench at half-time to score Atletico’s third goal against Betis.

But the winger picked up his third muscle injury of the season. Prior to testing positive for Covid-19 in the build-up to the clash at Osasuna last month, Atletico’s number 11 started eight consecutive games.

The French international came on with 15 minutes remaining against Ralf Rangnick’s Reds in the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Lemar joins Daniel Wass, Matheus Cunha, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Mario Hermoso, Correa and Vrsaljko, the other six Rojiblancos players who are currently on the sidelines.

The Argentine striker Correa may be fit for Atletico’s clash against Cadiz on Friday, but as it stands MARCA report that El Cholo only has 13 fit senior players.

Rangnick will be hoping that he has a clean bill of health heading into the pivotal second leg with the tie finely poised at 1-1.