Simeone Loses Baena to Injury

Argentinian coach Diego “Cholo” Simeone has been hit with an unexpected setback this week: the absence of Álex Baena, sidelined with a minor muscle injury. The midfielder, who started in the opener against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium, had to come off in the 68th minute, replaced by Antoine Griezmann.

Although Baena took part in training sessions on Monday and partially on Tuesday, medical tests later confirmed he would need between seven and ten days to recover. That rules him out of the clash against Elche and forces Simeone to look for alternatives.

The main candidates to step in are Conor Gallagher and Alexander Sorloth, both tested in recent training. The rest of the starting XI appears mostly set, with Jan Oblak in goal, joined by Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, David Hancko, and Matteo Ruggeri at the back.

A Lineup in Progress for the Elche Clash

In midfield, Simeone plans to rely on Pablo Barrios, Johnny Cardoso, and Thiago Almada, while in attack, Julián Álvarez is expected to lead the line alongside either Sorloth or Gallagher. Youngster Giuliano Simeone is also being considered, potentially as a right winger or wing-back depending on the game’s dynamics.

Meanwhile, concerns remain over José María Giménez, who has not trained with the squad for over two months since suffering a muscle injury during the Club World Cup on June 20. His recovery has been slower than anticipated, and there is still no set return date.

With two more training sessions left, on Thursday and Friday, Atlético de Madrid will finalize its lineup as it looks to secure three points against an Elche side eager to pull off an upset. The absence of Baena opens the door for others to prove themselves and step into a decisive role within Cholo’s system.