Atlético de Madrid beats Espanyol 1-0 amid Cristian Romero injury

Atlético de Madrid secured a 1-0 victory against Espanyol in La Liga, thanks to a late 89th-minute goal by Alex Baena. The win extends the team's winning streak to six matches across all competitions, keeping them in close contention for the league lead.

However, the victory was overshadowed by an injury to defender Cristian Romero. The Argentine international requested a substitution during the match and subsequent medical exams confirmed a low-grade adductor injury. Romero is expected to be sidelined for approximately 10 to 12 days, meaning he will miss upcoming fixtures against Stuttgart in the Champions League and Deportivo in La Liga.

While the injury is not considered severe, it creates tactical challenges for manager Diego Simeone and raises concerns for the Argentine national team ahead of their November international fixtures against Uruguay and Costa Rica. Additionally, midfielder Johnny Cardoso is also sidelined due to acute gastroenteritis, further thinning the squad's depth.