Cardoso (illness) will miss Saturday's La Liga clash against Espanyol after coach Diego Simeone confirmed his absence during Friday's press conference, per Diario AS.
Analysis:Cardoso will be sidelined against Espanyol after starting four games in a row across all competitions. The American midfielder had been gradually rebuilding his fitness following right ankle surgery in May, which also forced him to miss the World Cup. His latest absence interrupts his efforts to establish a consistent role in Atletico Madrid's midfield after an injury-disrupted previous campaign. With Koke (personal) also unavailable, Morten Hjulmand and Pablo Barrios are the leading candidates to feature in central midfield, while Marcos Llorente offers another alternative.
