Atletico Madrid captain Koke undertook light gym work on Thursday following the death of his mother, while Johnny Cardoso sat out training through illness just two days before their trip to Espanyol.
Koke missed Tuesday’s clash against Manchester United following his family bereavement and remains a doubt for Saturday’s encounter. The Rojiblancos head into the fixture riding the wave of a five-match winning streak, having strung together four consecutive victories in the Primera Division alongside their Champions League triumph.
While awaiting Johnny Cardoso’s recovery from illness, the rest of the squad reported for duty on Thursday morning. The session was split into two distinct groups: those who started against United completed light recovery drills, while the remaining players were put through an intense workout capped off by a training match alongside members of the club’s youth academy.
On Friday, Atletico de Madrid will step up their preparations ahead of Saturday’s 14:00 CET kick-off away to Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella.
