Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is facing significant challenges in preparing for his team's upcoming match against Barcelona, due to the absence of several midfield players because of injuries and suspensions, which compels him to devise solutions to compensate for these absences.

The Spanish newspaper "Sport" reported that Atletico Madrid received a series of bad news after the capital derby against Real Madrid in the 29th round of La Liga. The team lost two opportunities to secure at least a point, in addition to new absences in the midfield before the 30th round match.

One of the most notable absentees was Johnny Cardoso, the American midfielder, who received his fifth yellow card of the season after a foul on Vinicius in the 27th minute, automatically ruling him out of the team's upcoming match against Barcelona.

The absence of Cardoso adds to Simeone's struggles in the team's midfield, which has already been suffering since Pablo Barrios' injury on March 12. Additionally, the continued absence of young Rodrigo Mendoza, a former Elche player, from the squad list exacerbates the situation.

It would have been possible to compensate for these absences by involving Marcos Llorente in a double pivot alongside Koke. However, Llorente will also miss the match against Barcelona at the Metropolitano Stadium due to receiving his fifth yellow card during the Madrid derby, after pulling Kylian Mbappe's shirt in the 68th minute to prevent a counterattack by the Madrid team. Meanwhile, Koke avoided suspension as his tally remained at four yellow cards this season.

The Spanish newspaper indicated that the options available to Simeone include moving Alex Baena to a deeper position in midfield, as well as relying on the Mexican Obed Vargas as a second natural option, although his young age might pose a challenge against a team as formidable as Barcelona.

The report added that Atletico Madrid is also focusing on the UEFA Champions League, with both Marcos Llorente and Johnny Cardoso expected to be in good physical condition for the first leg of the quarter-finals against Barcelona, four days after the league match. Meanwhile, Pablo Barrios and Rodrigo Mendoza may not be ready to participate.