Robin Le Normand Injury Rules Atletico Madrid Defender Out Until Year-End

Atletico Madrid have been hit with a major injury setback after Robin Le Normand sustained a knee injury during the club’s 3-1 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League. The Spanish defender is now expected to be sidelined until the start of 2026.

The 27-year-old went down midway through the first half at the Metropolitano on Tuesday night and was replaced by Jose Maria Gimenez after just 25 minutes. Although Diego Simeone initially played down concerns post-match, medical tests carried out on Wednesday confirmed that Le Normand faces a lengthy spell out.

Injury not serious, but return unlikely this year

Atletico’s official statement confirmed that neither the player’s ligaments nor meniscus have been damaged — a positive outcome that rules out a worst-case scenario. However, according to Diario AS, the centre-back is still expected to miss between six and eight weeks, which means he is unlikely to play again in 2025.

Given that Atletico’s final fixture before the winter break falls on December 20–21, Robin Le Normand will almost certainly return after the turn of the year. His absence will see him miss several key matches, including the Champions League clash with Inter Milan on November 26, a trip to Barcelona on December 2, and a difficult visit to Athletic Club four days later.

Other fixtures he is expected to miss include games against Levante, Getafe, Real Oviedo, PSV Eindhoven, Valencia, and Girona. Simeone will likely rely on Clement Lenglet, Gimenez, and David Hancko to fill the void at centre-back during that stretch.

Simeone reflects on tense finish

Speaking after the match, Simeone admitted that his side endured a nervous ending despite the eventual two-goal victory.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult, complex match,” the Atletico boss told Mundo Deportivo. “They defend well, counter quickly, and made it hard for us to find space. We improved as the game went on and controlled things better in the second half.”

The Argentine coach acknowledged that his team were fortunate not to concede a late equalizer when Louis Patris found himself unmarked in stoppage time, adding:

“It could easily have been 2-2, but thankfully it ended 3-1.”

With Robin Le Normand now set for an extended spell on the sidelines, Simeone will once again be forced to rotate and rely on his squad depth to keep Atletico’s season on track.