Barcelona handed boost as Atletico Madrid’s goalkeeper Oblak ruled out ahead of Champions League clash
This week, the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals get underway, and one of the most important matches will be Wednesday’s meeting between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Jan Oblak will be absent for that game.
On Tuesday, Atletico Madrid announced their 22-man squad for the trip to Camp Nou via social media, highlighting the absence of the Slovenian goalkeeper, who will miss the match due to physical issues.
Oblak has missed Atletico Madrid’s last four matches – as well as the FIFA break with Slovenia – due to a muscle injury suffered nearly a month ago. He was hurt on March 13 during training ahead of the game against Getafe, forcing him to sit out three La Liga matches and one UEFA Champions League match.
Wednesday’s clash with Barcelona will mark the fifth consecutive match Atletico Madrid will have to play without their star goalkeeper. This has impacted the team’s results, as they have lost three of the previous four games (including defeats to Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga) and won just one.
Oblak’s replacement
In Jan Oblak’s absence, the goalkeeping duties will fall to Juan Musso. The 31-year-old Argentine has appeared in 11 matches this season for Atletico Madrid across La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League, recording seven wins and four losses. Backup goalkeepers Salvi Esquivel and Mario de Luis were also included in the squad.
For Musso, this is a key opportunity, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching in the next two months. The goalkeeper was part of Lionel Scaloni’s most recent squad during the March international break after over a year away and has a chance to be included in the final 26-man roster.
Other Atletico Madrid injuries
In Atletico Madrid’s squad for the Barcelona match, there are two additional notable absences besides Jan Oblak. Midfielders Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso are both sidelined due to physical issues.
With these absences, coach Diego Simeone will need to explore alternatives to shape his starting eleven. According to Marca, the main options to fill the gaps are Koke and Marcos Llorente, though players like Rodrigo Mendoza and Obed Vargas also have a chance to feature.