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The Weekly Rojiblanco: Great 8 Edition

Europa League, injury report and the Griezmann-go-round.

By Stuart Lindberg and Adam_Saladino Updated
Atletico Madrid v Celta de Vigo - La Liga Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images
  • Europa League final eight set

Hi Atléticos, and welcome to another Weekly Rojiblanco! Yesterday the club made easy work of Lokomotiv to move into a UEFA Europa League quarterfinal, where they will face Sporting Clube de Portugal next month. Arsenal, CSKA Moscow, RB’s Salzburg and Leipzig, Marseille and Lazio complete the list of quarterfinalists.

The surprises on that list are RB Salzburg and CSKA Moscow who knocked off Borussia Dortmund and Lyon respectively. With Dortmund’s shock exit, Atlético Madrid should be considered the favorite going forward, so the pressure will be on.

  • Filipe Luís out for season

Despite advancing, yesterday’s victory was not without its black clouds, chief among them being the injury and departure of Filipe Luis.

The oft-injured fullback was stretchered off during the second half with a leg injury. Lokomotiv forward Éder delivered an inadvertent but swift kick to the back of Filipe’s left leg while the Brazilian was attempting to block his shot. Atlético confirmed Friday that the 32-year-old had surgery on a fractured shinbone and will be out for around eight weeks.

Muito muito muuuuito obrigado por tanto carinho. Muitos dizem que foi azar, eu penso o contrário, eu tenho muita sorte. Muita sorte de ter um obstáculo no meu caminho, para poder sentir o carinho de tanta gente, de ver que há muita bondade no mundo, de ver como as pessoas se unem para dar forças, e assim poder superar os obstáculos. Eu agradeço cada segundo da minha vida, é realmente maravilhosa. Eu creio em Jesus. Tenho todos os motivos para ser positivo. Minha vida foi construída no caminho que Deus me iluminou, onde nunca duvidei, por pior que pareçam as coisas, mais eu me fortaleço. Eu tenho fé. Eu não vou desistir, vou lutar até o final, em todos os momentos de minha vida. Amo todos vocês, muito obrigado pelas mensagens, obrigado aos meus amigos por estarem do meu lado, obrigado por me fazer sentir especial. Muuuuchisimas gracias por tanto tanto tanto cariño. Mucha gente dice que ha sido mala suerte. Yo no pienso así, pienso que tengo mucha suerte. Suerte de tener un obstáculo en mi camino, y sentir el cariño de tantísima gente, ver que hay mucha bondad en el mundo, ver como las personas se unen para dar fuerzas y ánimos, y así, poder superar el obstáculo. Agradezco cada segundo de mi vida, es realmente maravillosa. Yo creo en Jesús. Tengo todos los motivos para ser positivo. Mi vida ha sido construída en el camino que Dios me guió, no he dudado ni un solo segundo, y cuanto peores parecen las cosas, más fuerte me siento. Yo tengo fe. No voy a rendirme, voy a luchar hasta el final, en todos los sentidos de mi vida. Os quiero a todos, muchas gracias por vuestros mensajes, por vuestros ánimos, por estar siempre a mi lado, y por hacerme sentir especial. ❤️

A post shared by Filipe Luís Kasmirski (@filipeluis) on

As for the World Cup, he is in a similar battle against time with compatriot Neymar. Both are huge parts in the Brazil squad and will look to recover before the tournament kicks off in Russia. Hopefully, he can get back to fitness quickly and be healthy enough to play in what probably will be his last World Cup.

  • Griezmann speculation heats then cools again

Much of the news cycle this week involved stoking the persistent Griezmann-to-Barcelona rumors that have been going since the summer. Early week tabloid fare suggested that Griezmann and his wife have begun house hunting in the Catalan capital ahead of a move to Barça this summer. Meanwhile, an oft circulated report from French outlet Le 10 Sport insists that a deal has been in place between the player and club since the fall.

However, Diego Simeone was quick to dismiss the speculation during post match comments on Sunday saying, “I have to talk about realities. Today he is with us, he plays fantastically well and there is very good togetherness with the fans.”

Club president Enrique Cerezo was more blunt when asked about the Frenchman by reporters this week:

“Griezmann has a contract and cannot sign with another team, these are facts,” he said before adding that “he has not told me at all about wanting to move away so it would surprise me a lot of this was his desire.”

And so, the fact of the matter is that for the time-being, Antoine Griezmann is an Atlético Madrid player which is a very good thing.

  • Finally: Koke, Saúl and Diego Costa were called up to the Spain squad.

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