When Duty Calls: Atletico Madrid players on international duty

Atletico Madrid have ten days before they travel north to face David Moyes' Real Sociedad on Saturday the 17th of October. Until that meeting with Real Sociedad, Diego Simeone will be without 13 of his first team squad for training and will carry plenty of concern until each and every one of them return to Madrid with bodies intact and no injury complaints.

Cholo has tinkered with his first eleven during the opening rounds of La Liga and during their first two encounters in the Champions League. He searches, still, for balance between attack and defense and hopes he can get a settled eleven in place before things really start heating up on the domestic and European front. That feat will be easier if he has a full squad to chose from.

Los Rojiblancos sit fifth in the table and with just three points separating Villarreal, Real Madrid, Celta Vigo and Barcelona, there will be a frantic race to the top once all teams report back from international duty.

In order to keep an eye on the players that Atletico have representing their country, we have compiled a little list that you can keep an eye on whilst you sit on your couch wishing that it was the red and white of Atletico Madrid that you were watching play.

Players Involved

Europe

Juanfran will be play for Vicente del Bosque's side against Luxembourg on Friday and against Ukraine on Monday.

Oliver Torres and Saul Ñiguez will represent Spain's under-21's on Tuesday night against Sweden and both played a full 90 minutes against Georgia in Spain's 5-2 victory on Wednesday night.

Tiago has been called upon to play with Portugal against Denmark on Thursday night and against Serbia on Monday night.

Savic will play for Montenegro against Austria on Friday and against Russia on Monday.

Griezmann will feature for Didier Deschamps' side in friendlies against Armenia on Thursday and against Denmark on Sunday.

Lucas Hernandez, who featured heavily for Simeone during preseason, will play for France's under-19's against Gibraltar.

Jan Oblak has been selected by Slovenia for the qualifiers and will face off against Lithuania on Friday and against San Marino on Monday night.

South America

Filipe Luis will play for Brazil against Chile on Friday and against Venezuela on Tuesday night.

Jackson Martinez has been summoned to play against Peru on Thursday and against Uruguay on Tuesday.

Diego Godin and José Giménez have been called upon to possibly partner each other in the heart of Uruguay's defense against Bolivia on Thursday and against Colombia on Tuesday.

Last, but by no means least, Angel Correa, has again been called by Gerardo Martino to play against Ecuador on Thursday night in Buenos Aires and against Paraguay on Tuesday night.

May each and every player win, or draw if they happen to be competing against each other. Most importantly, however, may they return to Madrid with no injuries.