The September international break is now behind us, as players return to their respective clubs to prepare for upcoming league and European fixtures. However, one of Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammates picked up an injury that will sideline him for crucial upcoming clashes against Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Thiago Almada started in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Venezuela last Thursday, playing 81 minutes and providing the assist to Messi on the third goal before being replaced by Nicolas Paz. But he was unable to play against Ecuador on Tuesday due to physical issues.

Upon his return to Spain, Atletico Madrid confirmed the midfielder’s condition. “Thiago Almada has suffered a muscle injury in his right leg, according to the diagnosis made by our club’s medical staff after conducting tests on the Argentine international, who was injured while on international duty,” began the statement shared by the club on social media.

“Number 11 will undergo physiotherapy and gym-based rehabilitation work. The progression of his recovery will determine when he returns to action,” the message concluded, without offering a specific timeline for Almada’s return. However, Marca reports that the injury will require at least three weeks of recovery.

Thiago Almada joined Atletico Madrid this summer.

Almada to miss key matches for Atletico Madrid

In the best-case scenario, Almada will need three weeks to recover from the muscle injury he sustained during his time with Argentina. That automatically rules him out for Atletico Madrid’s next La Liga match, against Villarreal this Saturday.

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However, the biggest concerns for head coach Diego Simeone come shortly after. On Wednesday, September 17, Los Colchoneros will kick off their 2025–26 UEFA Champions League campaign with a visit to Liverpool at Anfield—one of the toughest matchups they’ll face in the league-style phase of the tournament.

After their trip to England, Atletico Madrid will play two more La Liga matches, against Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano, before facing their biggest domestic test of the season so far: the Madrid Derby. On Saturday, September 27, they will host Real Madrid at the Estadio Metropolitano.

Will Almada return to Argentina duty soon?

Thiago Almada is expected to spend at least three weeks recovering from his injury, which will see him miss a string of key matches for Atletico Madrid. However, he still has a reasonable window to recover in time for Argentina’s next fixtures.

During the October international break, Lionel Scaloni’s squad will travel to the United States for two friendly matches. The first will take place on October 10 against Venezuela in Miami, followed by a match against Puerto Rico on October 13 in Chicago.

By then, Almada will be more than a month removed from his muscle injury, so it’s expected that he could be available for selection again and be part of the squad once more.