Atlético Madrid’s injury woes deepen as midfielder Mendoza becomes the latest casualty, lasting just 18 minutes on the pitch at El Sadar before being forced off. This brings the club’s total number of sidelined players to eight in just 17 days, with the treatment room overflowing as the season winds down.
The problems began when Barrios went down against Athletic Bilbao on April 25, just after returning from two separate muscle injuries that had each kept him out for a month. On the eve of the Champions League semifinal first leg against Arsenal, Nico Gonzalez suffered a torn left thigh muscle. During that tie, Julián Alvarez and Giuliano both picked up ankle and hip issues respectively, requiring injections to play the return leg before eventually being ruled out.
Cardoso then suffered an ankle injury in training that required surgery, ending his season and ruling him out of the World Cup. Against Celta Vigo, Giménez twisted his ankle badly when blocking a shot, while Molina also pulled up with a hamstring problem in the final moments of the same match.
For Mendoza, this marks his second injury setback of the campaign. On March 7, during his fourth start, he suffered a high-grade ankle sprain that kept him out for a month. Now, just as he was trying to regain his rhythm, muscular discomfort forced him off early against Osasuna. A full medical assessment is pending, but it could mean an early end to his first season with the first team.
Atlético are left with a skeletal squad as they fight for final positioning in La Liga, with key players dropping almost weekly.