Atlético Madrid star misses training ahead of Espanyol clash

A leading member of the midfield ranks at La Liga giants Atlético Madrid was forced to sit out group training on Thursday. The Rojiblancos star in question?

American international Cardoso has for his part played an increasingly prominent role in Diego Simeone’s engine room setup over recent weeks. Either side of the international break, the 25-year-old was afforded starts in Atléti’s last three outings, against Real Madrid, Deportivo Alavés, and most recently, Manchester United.

This comes amid an upturn in fitness and form alike on Cardoso’s part. As alluded to above, though, just two days out from his side turning their focus back towards matters on the domestic front, the all-action midfielder has been dealt a minor setback.