December 04, (THEWILL) – Robin Le Normand is set to make his comeback in Atletico Madrid’s Copa del Rey second-round match against CP Cacereno on Thursday, following an extensive recovery from a traumatic brain injury sustained in September.
The 28-year-old defender, who recently won Euro 2024 with Spain, has been sidelined for over two months after a collision with Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni during a derby match.
Club manager Diego Simeone confirmed Le Normand’s return, emphasising the club’s primary focus on the player’s health throughout his rehabilitation process.
“First of all, we were thinking about the health of the player. That is what the club, doctors, and physios focused on as a first step,” Simeone told reporters on Wednesday.
The manager highlighted Le Normand’s enthusiasm and readiness to contribute to the team.
Atletico enter the match riding an impressive seven-match winning streak, with Simeone cautioning against overconfidence.
“We have things to improve, the team grows from a block and I always call that block a team, neither offensive nor defensive,” he stated.
The coach stressed the significance of maintaining consistency, describing it as the most challenging aspect of a football season.
Simeone is expected to rotate his squad for the match, presenting an opportunity for fringe players to demonstrate their capabilities.
He reminded the team of their core principle.
He said, “Wearing the Atletico shirt in every game is a great opportunity. Many would like to be in our place and we need to have this embedded within.”
The manager acknowledged the potential challenge posed by Cacereno, referencing their competitive performance against Real Madrid in the previous Copa del Rey tournament.
Le Normand has made eight appearances for Atletico since joining from Real Sociedad in the close season.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
