Atletico Madrid fans will have been hit with a familiar feeling of dread when they discovered that Nahuel Molina and Jose Maria Gimenez would be missing their preseason tour through injury. The diagnosis is not particularly positive.

Molina’s case is less serious, and he will miss two to three weeks, but could still make their first game of the season against Granada on the 14th of August. Currently 19 days away, his presence will be touch and go.

Yet Marca say that Gimenez could miss an entire month of action, which would rule him out of games against Granada, Real Betis and potentially even Rayo Vallecano on the 28th of August.

After a season plagued by injuries, and in particular with Gimenez who has missed significant time in recent seasons to injury, Atletico will be concerned that they have not gotten over their injury crisis. Fitness coach ‘Profe’ Ortega is renowned for his heavy fitness programme, and last season they were beset with problems ahead of the World Cup.

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