Rival watch: Atletico Madrid key duo doubtful for UCL clash vs Real Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid will lock horns with bitter rivals Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 encounter on Wednesday away at the Metropolitano.

The first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu last week ended in a 2-1 win for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, handing them a crucial advantage heading into the reverse fixture.

While Real Madrid go into the game on the back of a win vs Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, the weekend was a disappointing one for Atleti as they lost to Getafe and slid down to third place in the standings.

Rodrigo De Paul, Clement Lenglet injury doubts

On top of that, SPORT reports that two key Atletico Madrid players, Clement Lenglet and Rodrigo De Paul, finished the game with injury concerns and are now doubts for the Real Madrid match.

Los Rojiblancos’ manager Diego Simeone raised alarm bells in his post-match press conference when discussing the Frenchman and the Argentine, saying:

“They have different discomforts. We will see if they recover in time for Wednesday’s match. If not, hopefully, they will be available for Sunday.”

Lenglet has become a key player for Atletico. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Lenglet was set to start against Getafe, but Atletico Madrid announced just before kick-off that he would miss the match due to discomfort suffered during the warm-up.

His absence was a significant blow, as he has become a crucial part of Simeone’s defensive setup since arriving on loan from Barcelona last summer. He has even displaced Robin Le Normand, who had just won the European Championship with Spain.

De Paul started against Getafe but had to be substituted at half-time due to injury. The Argentine is a vital part of Simeone’s system and has only missed three matches across all competitions this season.

De Paul is Atletico’s engine in midfield, providing defensive stability and attacking transition. He remains one of Simeone’s most trusted players, making his potential absence a major concern ahead of such a crucial European clash.