Diego Simeone not worried over Griezmann ankle injury

Atletico Madrid is optimistic that Antoine Griezmann’s injury is no more than a sprained ankle, as stated by manager Diego Simeone after the forward was substituted during their 1-0 defeat by Inter Milan in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie.

Griezmann, Atletico’s all-time leading goalscorer with five goals in six Champions League games this season, was replaced by Angel Correa in the 78th minute. Simeone addressed reporters, saying, “He (Griezmann) sprained his ankle, and we hope it will be just a sprained ankle.”

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The injury concerns for Atletico are increasing ahead of the upcoming Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao. Defender Jose Maria Gimenez sustained an injury a minute after halftime in the same match, while midfielder Thomas Lemar and winger Marcos Paulo are also currently sidelined.

Despite the setback, Simeone remains optimistic about his team’s chances in the Champions League quarter-finals. He expressed confidence, stating, “Going beyond the defeat, we’ve proven that we’re able to compete. We know what we’ll face. After playing against them now, we know how they play. Now we hope that when the time comes, we’ll be in top shape and we’ll compete the way this tournament demands.”