Johnny Cardoso will miss Atletico Madrid's LaLiga match against Espanyol this Saturday. The American midfielder did not travel with the squad to Barcelona after suffering from acute gastroenteritis, an absence that adds to captain Koke's muscular injury.

Diego Pablo Simeone confirmed the two absences when announcing the matchday squad. "Koke and Cardoso are out for this match," said the coach. The team, sitting second in the table with 19 points, is chasing a fifth consecutive domestic victory to keep pressure on leaders Barcelona, whom they trail by five points. Their record of six wins, one draw and one loss from eight games keeps them firmly in the title race.

Double blow in midfield

Cardoso's illness prevented him from training on both Thursday and Friday at the Centro Deportivo de Majadahonda. Meanwhile, Koke continued his recovery work in the gym for a second consecutive day. His injury will keep him out for several upcoming matches, forcing adjustments in Atletico's midfield.

Simeone has included academy players Domínguez and Castillo in the squad for the clash at the RCDE Stadium, along with first-teamer Dani Martínez. The team travelled to Barcelona on Friday, as Javier G.

Strong form provides context

The team arrives at the match on the back of a solid run of results. In their last outing, this past Tuesday, they beat Manchester United 2-0 at the Metropolitano with goals from Pablo Barrios and Ademola Lookman. In LaLiga, their form is impeccable, with four consecutive wins including a victory over Real Madrid. Their winning run actually stretches to five matches across all competitions, with further victories against Alaves, Osasuna and Real Sociedad.

With 18 goals scored and only 8 conceded, Atletico has the second-best attack and one of the sturdiest defences. Their next opponent, Espanyol, sits in 12th place, and in the last meeting between the two last February, the red-and-whites won 4-2. The team's top scorer this season is Álex Baena with four goals, and he has also provided key assists in recent fixtures.

After this commitment, the team is already looking ahead to their next European challenge, the Champions League match against Stuttgart.

Read the full report at atleticodemadrid.com