Premier League Champions Leicester City are set to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, and the Spanish side will be a player down. Whilst both the home and away leg will take place in April, one player has already been ruled out of both matches, but things could have been much worse.
Šime Vrsaljko suffered a knee injury over the weekend and after medical tests it’s become clear the right-back won’t be fit to play against Leicester City. Spanish newspaper AS report Vrsaljko has suffered a partial tear of his posterior cruciate ligament and has also twisted his knee, straining the internal lateral ligament of his left knee.
It could have been worse for Vrsaljko, as a full tear would have meant surgery and a lengthy lay-off. As it is, the Croatian international will be out for around four to six weeks, and that sees him miss the matches against Leicester City.
For Atletico the worry extends to Spanish domestic football, with a top four place still not completely assured.
Leicester City made it into the next round of the Champions League thanks to a great performance against Sevilla, Craig Shakespeare will be hoping for similar against Atletico.