Atlético Madrid will take the field against Manchester United on Tuesday night with an empty place at the heart of their squad. Club captain Koke has been left out following the death of his mother earlier in the day.
Key takeaways
- A minute’s silence will be held before kick-off at the Wanda Metropolitano.
- The 34-year-old midfielder will miss Atlético’s Champions League league-phase fixture against Manchester United, scheduled for 21:00.
- Koke has featured in every Atlético match this season and wears the captain’s armband when selected from the start.
- He is an Atlético academy product who has represented the first team since 2009.
Atlético prepare for United without their captain
The Madrid club confirmed that Koke would not be included in the matchday group for the visit of Manchester United in the second round of the Champions League league phase.
His mother died on Tuesday morning, prompting Atlético to withdraw their long-serving captain from consideration. The stadium will observe a moment of silence in her memory before the match begins.
Koke has spent his entire professional career at Atlético after coming through the club’s youth system. Now 34, he has remained a central figure in the side, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.
A constant presence this season
The midfielder has played in all of Atlético’s games so far this campaign. Whenever he has started, he has led the team as captain.
That included the opening Champions League league-phase match against Liverpool in early September, a 2-1 defeat. Atlético now face United without one of their most familiar figures, with the football taking second place on a difficult night for the club captain.
