ATLETICO MADRID ARE facing a mounting injury crisis ahead of the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Liverpool.
Kieran Trippier is a doubt for that clash having today undergone an operation to cure a groin problem. The The England international has not played since the penalty shoot-out defeat to Real Madrid in the final of the Supercopa de Espana on 12 January and as the discomfort was not subsiding, Atleti decided to send the 29-year-old for an operation, which the club say was completed successfully.
Trippier will now begin a recovery process but is not likely to be fully fit for another month, according to reports in Spain.
It means the former Tottenham man is likely to miss the visit of Liverpool on February 18, as well as league games against Granada, Valencia, Villarreal and Espanyol.
Also a doubt for the Liverpool clash is striker Alvaro Morata, who was forced off early in the second half of a 1-0 defeat to La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Saturday and has been diagnosed with an unspecified muscle injury in his right leg. According to reports in the Spanish media, Morata will miss the meeting with Granada this weekend and faces a race to be fit in time for the visit of Liverpool.
Also absent at the moment are midfielder Koke, defenders Santiago Arias and Jose Gimenez, along with forwards Diego Costa and Joao Felix.
Felix’s injury was sustained ahead of the clash with Real but is not considered to be too serious, while Costa could be ready to make his return ahead of the Liverpool game.
Atleti sit sixth in LaLiga, three points outside of the top four. They are winless in their past five matches in all competitions and are 13 points adrift of leaders Madrid.
