Pablo Barrios remains a doubt for Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid

Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios faces a race to recover for the upcoming derby against Real Madrid on 20 September. The 23-year-old sustained a low-grade myofascial injury to his right leg during a UEFA Champions League match against Liverpool. Medical testing confirmed the injury, which will force Barrios to miss upcoming La Liga fixtures against Real Sociedad and Osasuna. While Atletico Madrid has not set a formal recovery timeline, the club indicated his return depends on his ongoing physical progress. Diego Simeone must now evaluate potential replacements from a midfield pool including Koke, Morten Hjulmand, Johnny Cardoso, Rodrigo Mendoza, and Obed Vargas. Barrios has been a consistent presence this season, starting four of the five matches played by the team across all competitions.

• 2:25 PMYahoo Sports — Rival watch: Atletico Madrid midfield ace a doubt for derby against Real Madrid